Hoshi no Samidare

As many of you already know, Hoshi no Samidare's anime adaption has been very poorly received, disappointing manga fans around the world. While I understand and empathize with this perspective, I am going to provide a perspective and critique from the point of view of someone who's only watched the anime and knows nothing about the manga. (No spoilers in this review)

To start with, I'll address the most obvious negative issue:

Hoshi no Samidare has some of the worst animation I've seen in years, making some of the most serious action scenes border on comically bad, often breaking your suspension of disbelief, interfering with not only ... the action but the storytelling as well.

That said, beyond the terrible animation there's the core of an interesting world with an engaging story, likable characters and some interesting concepts. While the core style of "People with super powers fight bad guy to save the world," is certainly not unique, the delivery of the story as a whole uses enough unique characteristics that it doesn't ever feel like "Oh it's just this other show with a couple of details changed." A few of the things I really liked:

- The chemistry between the main characters, particularly in the earlier parts of the story.

- There's a broad range of ages in the hero group and it makes for a more interesting dynamic than you get from the typical "all teens/early 20s" casts that are all too common.

- In an era of overpowered isekai characters, the cast of Hoshi no Samidare's powers feel, somehow refreshingly, underwhelming. This creates a lot more suspense around battles, where you find yourself genuinely wondering if everyone's going to make it through alive.

- Lastly, while not entirely unique to this series, I felt that there was a lot of thought and care put into the characters and their relationships with each other. While not the depth you'd find in a character-driven drama, it gives more than you'd expect from your average saving-the-world anime.

If I were to offer a critique about the storytelling, it's that, while the main story is relatively easy to follow and flows well enough, it feels like some of its sub-threads are neglected, left incomplete, or hastily concluded. Overall it feels like there are quite a few cases where there's an interesting series of interactions between characters and they aren't followed through with in a way that makes the best use of their potential. Even some of the chemistry between the main characters, which is a pretty central part of the story in the beginning, feels a bit stifled if not overwhelmed by the weight of all of the other threads the show is trying to keep up with.

In conclusion, would I recommend Hoshi no Samidare? Only if you can say yes to both of these:

- Like me, you're not really a manga reader. (If you are, the near-universal consensus is that its manga is much better, so go read it).
- This is the sort of show you like and your interest has been piqued enough by this review that you're willing to give it a chance despite its shortcomings.

Overall, while this was, by far not the best anime I've watched, I genuinely enjoyed Hoshi no Samidare despite its shortcomings.

--This is a spoiler free review--

At first glance, Hoshi no Samidare looks like your average show. However, in reality, the show is actually pretty good and creative. It's about a story of a boy named Yuuhi who is just your average boy. However, he soon gets chosen to destroy the biscuit hammer because a knight that turned into a lizard (Noi) has chosen him to be one of the people to destroy the biscuit hammer.

To be honest, the premise is a unique setup that isn't a low effort copy from your usual Shonen. When you look down at the story, it's actually pretty good. ... It just looks as if it's bad, because people are hating on it. The story doesn't pop up with annoying clichés. Plot armour is sometimes used at the start of the story. It's a pretty good story, despite some use of plot armour at the start.

Good animation is important for newly adapted shows. Studio NAZ took a huge risk on adapting a loved manga, and it went wrong. The lip sync is off, the fight choreography is confusing and hard to follow, and the animation is just mediocre in general. Lots of things are cut, and transitioning's are confusing.

The sound mostly fits every scene. There are some sound effects that don't even appear at all. One time, a character kicked another, and there wasn't any sound.
OSTs fit literally every scene. Whether it be a simple one or an intense one. It makes the show look really chilly while you watch it. *Edit: Sometimes OSTs are too strong for what's happening or don't fit.*
The intro song is a great way to get you into the show. The intro song has a lot of bright colours and an amazing soundtrack to bring you in.
The ed song is a good way to end the episode. The soundtrack is good, the colours are great, and it's simple.
VAs work perfectly for every character. However, the acting looks so rushed and their voices are sometimes too low.
I like the characters in Hoshi no Samidare.

Yuuhi is definitely a two-dimensional character. But I think he's a solid character. His motive makes really sense (to help the princess) because of what she did to him. His character's story also makes sense and is not bland by any means. He's the motivated and dedicated character now, which is the type that is fine to me.

Samidare isn't your average teammate. She's a really strong person that wants to conquer the world? Well, that was a weird objective, but I also like Samidare's character.

I definitely enjoyed Hoshi no Samidare among all of the anime around the season. Some anime were just a "meh" while Hoshi no Samidare was a fun show to watch despite bad fight choreography and animation. Sometimes the jokes hit, sometimes it doesn't.

Hoshi no Samidare is underrated and over hated to being trash. if the fight choreography bothers you, read the manga or just watch the anime. Maybe even do both. Hoshi no Samidare definitely deserves better. Even if the animation were to be bad, is it really that bad? It's not as bad, but it's a disappointment to me as a manga reader. Some scenes feel quite soulless, but I give Hoshi no Samidare 7 Yuuhis out of 10.

Thank you for reading.

Originally, I was going to not review, or do a "don't watch" review, but towards the end decided to upgrade my 5/10 to 6/10. I had the natural disaster of flooding in my house a couple episodes, others emotional too.
Plot summary/synopsis: 3/10 (kind of dumb funny, but still)
Real Main Plot: 7/10
Episodic sub-plots for characters: 8/10
Animation: 3/10
Sounds: 6/10
Openings/Endings: 7/10 (managed to give 9/10 feeling sometimes)
Sillyness: 6/10
Main Character (male): 3/10 turned 7/10 with character development (maybe 6/10)
Side Characters: 7/10
...
Watch this if:
-fine with childishness
-fine with awful animation
-fine with dumb reasons
-Get emotional to emotional things
-Think the official trailer is attractive (just watched, is good representation and I surprisingly fell for princess too there)

DON'T watch this if:
-see above
-need "fan service" (?)
-limited on time
-can't handle death, child abuse, trauma et cetera

Hoshi no Samidare, also known as Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, offers a blend of action, fantasy, and emotional depth. While the series is overall decent, its pacing is a notable drawback. Events often unfold too quickly, making it challenging to follow the storyline and keep track of what is happening.

Despite the rushed narrative, the anime delivers several emotionally impactful scenes that stand out. These moments provide depth and resonance, giving viewers a chance to connect with the characters on a more profound level. The character development, although sometimes overshadowed by the fast pace, is well-crafted, with each character bringing a unique story and personality ... to the table.

The animation quality is solid, featuring a distinctive art style that suits the fantastical elements of the plot. Action scenes are well-executed, though there are occasional dips in animation quality. The use of CGI is minimal and generally well-blended with the traditional animation.

Overall, Hoshi no Samidare is a series worth watching, particularly for those who enjoy a mix of action and emotional storytelling. While it has its flaws, the anime manages to leave a lasting impression through its heartfelt moments. It's a solid 7/10.

Personal Opinion:
Personally, I found Hoshi no Samidare to be an engaging experience despite its pacing issues. The emotional scenes truly resonated with me, adding a layer of sincerity to the otherwise fast-paced action. While it may not be a perfect series, it has a charm that makes it memorable. If you can overlook the rapid storytelling, there's a lot to appreciate in this anime.

Its one of a kind anime.
Despite of is fast phasing the story is whatchable.
The bad thing about this one is the animation and lack of it.

Thinking of how it feels, its great but taking te above points couldn't reccomend to watch...

Juts hope someday a remake will come and could add to favourite and give 10


Review ended above just adding because didnt let me publish
...
Great characters personalities
Good seinen
hope some day a sequel of the manga
Not a manga reader but if ever start to read manga this anime is second after sora no otoshimono