Sword Gai The Animation Part II

Sword Gai — English Dub


The first episode immediately thrust the viewer into a whirlwind of events, with numerous elements unfolding simultaneously—a rare experience that demanded constant attention. Episode seven was particularly memorable: the moment when an important character pummeled the sadistic celebrity girl was immensely satisfying. Rather than simply standing there and enduring her abuse, he fought back, only to be cut down by her shortly afterward. I also appreciated how this episode highlighted the emotional realism of hibernation—portraying how remaining unchanged while the world and relationships move on without you can create profound alienation. On the other hand, Mina became my most disliked character. ... What she did to Naoki was inexcusable, regardless of whether it was by command or inevitability. Her actions were manipulative, and her role in the second season did nothing to redeem her. As for the conclusion of season one, I found it unusual but ultimately engaging, making for a solid finish to the first season.

Season Two
The second season opened with one of the most fascinating narrative choices: making it appear as though Gai had killed himself. That revelation unleashed a flood of speculation and raised countless questions. Yet, when the actual reasoning was revealed, it felt disappointingly mediocre. Personally, I believe the show would have been stronger had it left the audience to speculate rather than demystify the event. By the end of episode four, the truth of Gai’s survival was revealed, and although I never disliked Gai as a character, I actually enjoyed the temporary focus on other dynamics during his absence. Busoma Gai, in particular, was a compelling version of the character, equipped with unique abilities that, unfortunately, were never fully explored. The final two episodes, however, marked a severe decline in quality. Shin’s transformation into a Busoma, followed by his ability to kill every Chrysalis of the Shoshidai, created staggering inconsistencies that undermined the internal logic of the series. Overall, Seiya Ichijo stood out as my favorite character; his story conveyed the deeply human struggle of the emotional toll separation places on both partners in a relationship. As for the ending, I can only describe it as outright disappointing. Nevertheless, despite its many flaws, I still found the series thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

Additional Reflections:
Sword Gai embodies what I consider the very definition of “middle-of-the-road.” It is neither exceptional nor derivative, instead carving out a distinct, if underdeveloped, identity through its originality. I was baffled when reading reviews and finding no positive assessments. While I can fully understand the frustration—particularly given the second season’s plot holes—I would still recommend this series to anyone seeking an anime that falls squarely between mediocrity and excellence.

One particular element I feel deserves special praise is the execution of a single plot twist: Gai’s supposed suicide. Some may argue it was not significant in the grand scheme of the narrative, but I would counter that I have never encountered such a straightforward yet impactful twist elsewhere. Its simplicity is precisely what made it stand out, and for me, it was enough to merit a perfect score in that category.


Overall Rating: 7.58/10
Overall Plot: 5.8/10
Pacing: 10/10
Plot twist: 10/10
Plot progression: 7/10
Plot consistency: 4.2/10
Depth precipitin: 10/10
World building: N/A
Main character: 8/10
Side Characters: 7.14/10
Protagonists: N/A
Antagonist/s: 6.8/10
Character designs: 6.5/10
Character development: 9/10
Notable characters: 9/10
Animation:6.79/10
Enjoyment/Entertainment factor: 9.2/10
Mc’s Morals/ Ideals: N/A (IDK)
Backstories: N/A
Outline idea/s: 7.3/10
Concept/s: 10/10
Cringiness: 0/10
Voice actors: 7/10
Art Style: 6.9/10
Music: N/A
World design: N/A
Conclusion: 2.4/10
Lore: 8.8/10
Complexity/Depth: N/A
Moral obligation: N/A
Power system: 5/10
Abilities: 7.7/10
Genre Execution: 10/10
Innovation: 8/10
Season One overall rating: 7.35/10
Season Two overall rating: 7.14/10
Movie overall rate: N/A

I don't usually write ratings, but I saw the top-rated ones are overly negative.

It is not SO BAD, it is basically very average. If you binge both seasons it will give some basic enjoyment. This is no masterpieace, but if you have nothing else to watch you might as well watch this, get over it, and forget.

Art is fine, CG is definitely visible but is fine, fights are ok. A lot of plot holes, confusing choices, etc, but I can't say I regretted watching this. Considering the score I expected worse.

If you like generic action anime with blood and stuff, this will digest ... fine. Fake few beers and go over it, even has some funny moments, considering stuff coming out nowadays this does deserve a second chance.

This is my first ever review on MAL but i just need to vent out my frustration and warn everyone else about low quality of this anime. I watched first season and it was not bad, felt rushed, some things had no sense but i was hoping S2 will explain some things.

Oh boy i was mistaken. Art and GCI are probably the best things about this anime, sound is poor and almost no song except opening is memorable. Then we have poor story which is full of plotholes, usually makes no sense at all, action jumps from one place to another for no reason, characters ... suddenly appear during important events from nowhere to scream and say same thing all the time like during infinite loop.

The biggest downside are characters. They are so bland, so stupid, so annoying. I can't really describe it but i believe set of plates waiting to get washed are more intersting than the cast in this anime.

Overall i really disliked it. I am pretty forgiving in terms of anime but this is the first that i will give score 1. Major waste of time, not recommended.