The Reflection

The Reflection is doomed to be a love-hate series. If you want a typical anime, or are a fan of superhero franchises, then you're probably going to loathe this. If you like artsy animated films and fun shows that capture the pure joy of cartoons, then you'll find a lot to like.

I fall into the latter category but fully recognize the flaws of this show: the story and the characters are not particularly interesting or consistent. The heroes and villains are generic and don't have much in the way of backstories. The story doesn't get explained in detail and lacks a definitive ending or beginning. ... Don't watch this if you require a standard narrative-driven tale.

Where The Reflection really shines is the art and sound: it's visually distinctive with its own unique language, the limited palette and dark atmosphere work really well to capture a classic comic book vibe and allow for some unique action scenes that capture motion and energy brilliantly, and there's a surprising amount of real-world USA (more than just famous landmarks) hidden in plain sight if you keep your eyes open. The use of sound is my favorite thing about The Reflection, where insert songs and sound are kept in the foreground, and are just as important to telling the story as the spoken dialogue.

"The magic of moving pictures" is something that we take for granted, especially as anime fans. If you're conscious of how ridiculously cool it is that a series of flickering pictures can trick our brains into thinking we're witnessing motion, and thrilled when a progression of musical tones can call up an emotional response, then you're probably a good candidate for watching this show. Projects like The Reflection will never appeal to the overwhelming majority of people, which is why well-done artistic efforts deserve praise when their creators go out on a limb to make them - kudos to Stan Lee and everyone else who made this show, you rock!

The Reflection is a mixed bag of a superhero anime. While it boasts a unique art style and the involvement of Stan Lee, the series ultimately falls short due to its numerous flaws.

The animation quality is inconsistent, with some action sequences appearing crude and unfinished. The pacing is sluggish, dragging the narrative and making it difficult to stay engaged. Character development is lacking, with many characters feeling one-dimensional and underdeveloped. The plot itself is predictable, relying heavily on familiar superhero tropes and clichés.

Perhaps the most significant issue lies in the confusing and inconsistent worldbuilding. The Reflection event, which grants individuals superpowers, is never fully explained, ... leaving viewers with more questions than answers. This lack of clarity undermines the story and hinders immersion.

While the diverse cast of characters and the exploration of classic superhero themes show promise, The Reflection ultimately fails to deliver a satisfying viewing experience.

It's hard to know exactly what to think of a show like Reflection, a very strange and unique attempt to bring classic American comic book sensibilities to an anime stage. Ultimately, it feels like a bit of a misfire, but it's a misfire that had potential, ambition, and was certainly enjoyable enough to finish, even if the final product was lacking.

The biggest thing right out of the gate is, of course, the art. Now, personally, I happen to love the style itself. I'm a huge comic book guy, so I was primed to enjoy a superhero show like this, and at times, ... the heavy linework, the interesting color pallet, and the staging makes for a dynamic, unique, and even beautiful show. Unfortunately, the actual animation quality is... well, it ranges from mediocre to outright bad. There are times where the show looks almost more like a Newsgrounds flash animation from twenty years ago than a professionally produced anime. The action scenes can be okay, and there are some fun powersets and abilities to use, but a lot of time the action feels floaty and weightless, with sluggish punches thrown more like how it feels trying to punch someone in a dream than with superhero weightiness.

Now, if the story was excellent, that could make up for a lot, but it simply isn't. It's not a bad story, it's just fairly by the numbers, with traditional superhero story beats like mysterious conspiracies, "mutant-against-human" sentiments, and secret family members, though for the sake of spoilers that's all I'll say on that matter.

There are some fun characters in it - Ian "I-Guy" Izette is a really entertaining take on an Iron Man style hero, being a disgraced alcoholic 80s pop-star trying to recapture his glory, and a lot of the villains are shallow but interesting designs, with Steel Emperor in particular looking super rad. X-On, though, in his obvious Cyclops rip-off attire is utterly generic in personality, too, a stoic and mission-focused hero type who, again, isn't bad, but doesn't bring anything new to the table.

As I said, there's a lot of potential here. I love superhero narratives, and with a bit more pizzazz to someone like X-On, and maybe some more tightened strings on the charming but meandering story of 9nine, four Japanese schoolgirls turned Mahou Shojo popstars en route to America to join the action, things could be really nice, not to mention more time to actually get to know any of our bad guys beyond fun designs and bland set pieces. But the writing is lacking, and if you don't like the art style, there's nothing about the animation quality that's going to win you over.

I liked the Reflection. If they do release a second season, as is heavily teased at the end, I'll probably watch it. But it wasn't especially good. It was just kind of okay, and felt like it could be a lot more.

Also, get ready to have SKYYYYYY SHOOOOOOOOW ALL AROUND THE WOOOORLD stuck in your head. Like, honestly, listen to it once on YouTube, and if you don't like it, maybe give this show a pass, because it plays at least once an episode and usually a lot more than that. Personally, I think it slaps and added it to my Spotify, but man, you have to endure to watch this show.