Lance N' Masques

Ironically, I decided to watch this anime in the first place because I'd never heard of it... It kind of got lost amongst all the other shows that came out that season. I find this ironic, because my overall impression of Lance N' Masques was that it was... forgettable. So maybe 'ironic' isn't the right word. Perhaps I should say... fitting.

Although the character design in Lance N' Masques was a little more... cutesy than what I typically prefer, this show did have its good points. More than anything else, this anime strikes me as the type of show where the creators didn't know how to ... work with what they were given. Without going into spoilers, I ran into the first downfall very early on. The entire series could have been made with just the plot for the first three episodes, and maybe it wouldn't have stood out as anything AMAZING, but it could have been Good. Unfortunately, what we ended up with was just mediocre.

The knight aspect of the story was interesting enough to serve as a backdrop to the story, although the political workings of this world could do with a little more explaining. Even Yotaro's 'White Knight Syndrome' which I expected to be unbearably cheesy, was played off in a palatable way. This could have been a great story about loyalty and family, and while they kept hinting at that depth, it ultimately got buried in rushed plot points and under-developed characters.

Beginning of a story like many anime echi, we freshened up with some scene of a figure of the man who met with a woman in the forest. If you look at heroin shaped Chibi kinda looks cute. Maybe for you guys chibi character enthusiasts will love this anime.

For the story, arguably not so bad.

For Scenery, I think is pretty good. with lots of colorful decorate the landscape.

For sound, standard, but there is some tone that I think is good and suitable to go with a scene.

For characters, probably just the only female character that I think is interesting.

I feel a bit lack ... dissatisfied watching this anime, yeah but to simply entertain ourselves, this anime is also tolerable to watch while relaxing time.

Overall, not too bad and not too good. may arguably average.

this show has been put on one of the top 100 worst anime lists, which is where I stumbled upon it. the question of "does it belong there" is what I shall try to answer.

------IMPORTANT EDIT, PLEASE READ BEFORE REST OF REVIEW------
there is an official Makio body pillow. in promotional art for the books, there are images of Makio naked. it is a running gag that Makio want to be Knight Lancer's wife. people mistakenly assume that Yotaro is going to sleep with Makio and kinda just let it happen. Makio is a toddler. if that's all you need to make your decision, then yeah, ... find a different anime.

the review I originally gave was written with the mindset of "nah, they wouldn't actually do that" despite the blatant in-show examples constantly having the toddler say some of the most explicit things. originally, I thought it was a "kid having a silly crush on Superman" sort of deal as opposed to "kid wants to sleep with older guy", hence me not really mentioning it. how did it not click in my head? I'm an idiot.

if you can ignore all of that or pretend the outright text is more wholesome, my review still stands.
------END OF EDIT------

--Original review, July 11th 2022--
Characters: 6/10
-Yotaro:
-- the story's main character who's caught between two lives: the heroic Knight Lancer and the wimpy Yotaro. while he wants to live a normal life, whenever he sees or hears someone in danger, he snaps into action to save the day. this snapping results in him turning into a hero with hammy acting. the problem occurs after he saves the person, where he acts so over the top that he scares away anyone who isn't an awestruck child. that's not to say he doesn't want to care about people, even when he isn't Knight Lancer, he still shows compassion, just without the theatrics.

-Makio:
-- honestly one of my favorite characters, she's a little girl who is obsessed with heroes. this is mainly because she lives alone. a dead mother and absent father. she, alongside Yotaro, is one of the characters who motivates others to do better than what they originally thought they could do. one of the reasons I like her is also due to her being consistent. while other characters sometimes feel like there was a mistake in their writing, when she's a little off, it's part of the story and is addressed and used in a twist.

-Sudou:
-- another favorite, although this time for her simplicity. you know how she works, but it doesn't take away from who she is. you don't feel like you're missing needed information on her

-Alice:
--not a bad character, but as you watch you feel like she could be more. turns out she has a crush on Yotaro. nothing is done with this outside its context. she wishes to be stronger. she beats a foe in an unsatisfactory way and her struggle is seen as a joke afterward. I wish for more but that is what I got.

-Yuyan:
-- this child is hilarious. he's smart enough to pull off enough schemes to cause our heroes some trouble but young enough that he can barely get away unharmed. most other threats in this series tend to be beaten to near death and only just barely survive. meanwhile, this kid gets away usually without a scratch. so what DOES happen to him? every other bad karmic thing happens to him and it is always worth watching him running or panicking after his plan goes downhill.

Story: (7.75/10) 8/10
now that I've talked about the characters, let's talk plots. now, this show has four arcs. arc 1 and 2 have 3 episodes, arc 3 has 4, and arc 4 has only 2.

-Arc 1: 10/10
-- what works for me in this arc is simply how well the story is structured for itself and the later story. Yotaro grows while allowing him to continue growth in later arcs, elements like the relationships to your lance are actually shown rather than told, and the Lance Charge is introduced and is used well. it ends well, and you want to watch more.

-Arc 2: 9/10
-- it introduces a new character who I also consider a favorite. that said, why she's here doesn't make much sense. Yufeng is searching for a strong man (who she's falsely told is Knight Lancer) who's taken down her group called BAN and her beloved father is coincidentally dead. she wants to meet and thank him for basically freeing her. the problem arises when she should know that her father was killed by the actual strong man who took down BAN and that BAN knows who did it. why would she embrace a person who killed someone she loved? she didn't know is the arc's answer, but then why didn't she know? on the topic of characters, Yotaro doesn't really get much in terms of development, but at least remains consistent. moving on, the final fight animation could also be better. aside from those 3 things, it was a rather fun arc and I was looking forward to seeing her grow.

-Arc 3: 4/10
-- the first episode, while odd is nothing really bad. the problems start in regard to Yotaro. while he doesn't like jumping in to fight, he isn't so darn hopeless, except that's what this story does. Yotaro hears that friends are fighting to help him, and instead of going "no time to cry, I have to be a hero now" or even "oh no, they're fighting for me, I have to stop them before they get hurt", he just sulks and only stumbles at the end of a battle rather than trying to find them and stop them. in regards to those friends fighting, only 2 out of 4 of them actually feel important. Yufeng is actually expanded upon and Sudou is explored and doesn't over-complicate an already busy story. the other 2 is either underwhelmed or is centered around a character so unimportant that she doesn't even add anything in any of the arcs she's in. the final fight between Yotaro and a friend of his (Red Lancer, basically) is sadly the worst fight in frankly the worst episode. they just stand in a room swinging like idiots and something important happens that causes the old friend to undeservedly win. not because Yotaro was a far better opponent, but because the friend was far better yet was acting like an idiot that doesn't really work even in context. what's worse, the fight is only a small part at the BEGINNING of the episode, and the rest is just filler nonsense. these 4 episodes could have just been 3 and at least not harmed the last arc. episode 1 could have the good guys enter the new area and start fighting their foes. episode 2 could show our heroes winning and end with Yotaro about to fight Red Lancer. episode 3 actually has the fight be more than just 1/3 of the runtime, and then just keep the less useless fluff. but because this is 4 episodes, Arc 4 now must struggle.

-Arc 4: 8/10
-- the all-important event that made Yotaro lose his fight (and the only good part of the last episode from arc 3) is now the central focus and must be addressed. there is a side plot that's also happening when a new faction is focusing on Yotaro. this is why I wish Arc 4 had more episodes to use. the final episode is amazing, and I dare not spoil it, but episode 11 feels like 2 episodes crammed together, and it makes what happens in it feel like an afterthought, which even if it was, I shouldn't have to feel. at the very least, the final episode was kind and heartwarming.

Art: 7/10
the designs are very pretty and I like the looks of the masks and Lances the most, as I feel the soul is best used there.
Animation: 6/10
while not the best in some scenes, fights can either have great energy or satisfying flair. that said, it isn't all perfect.

Music: 6/10
the best theme is honestly Knight Lancer's theme, while the rest is just serviceable.

--Random--
---the Lance Charge is a good idea but isn't always best used. basically, two knights point their laces at each other and they charge until their lances meet. they then push until someone's strength of will overpowers the other's. a mental battle showed physically. in arc 1, there was at least some action in its final episode before it was used, and when it was done, it was done with a character who put doubt in Yotaro's head. Arc 2's was alright, though could have been handled better, Arc 3's was disappointing, and Arc 4's, while satisfying, could have had more to it.

Enjoyment: 10/10
most anime I've seen either (A) finishes one story but does a sequel hook they'll never catch with so you finish unsatisfied or (B) leave the story half-finished and not continue it. they always want to tell more but you know they probably won't deliver. with this show, it's finished, and there is no sequel hook to disappoint. despite that, it feels like the story could continue if a season 2 were to be produced. it's not shoved in your face, but elements are sprinkled throughout the entire show that makes you go "I wonder...". this doesn't happen much, but it makes me want more, while satisfied with what I got.


Overall: 7/10
give this show a shot, perhaps you may not like it, perhaps you will. Arc 3 is tough to get through, but whether you skip it or watch the entire thing, it'll be one ride you'll remember.