[Unpopular Opinion] If No Game No Life were to release nowadays its rating would be less than what it is now

obvious_troll said:
Where are No Game No Life fans at?

Nxt_Arsenic said:
You gave quite a long speech about how it has flaws and compared it even with some boring isekai anime.. but u are just ignoring the level of intelligence 'Yuu Kamiya' has put ....It had very unique ideas along with the likeable mc who don't give a damn about what the damn world thinks as he plays for WIN and not like typical shounen mc for saving his friends weak n world (I think this is more used plot than isekai and ironically u and everyone still watch them)......Some boring anime including that slime one and Noragami have 8+ then why not masterpiece like NNGL...Please just because You hate the Gener don't go on bad-mouthing about this one....And every anime has flaws including masterpiece like One Piece , Naruto, even legend Death Note.....So plz just don't ignore it's good points just because u hate the Genre ....

Nxt_Arsenic said:


I don't think NGNL is shit or anything. It is probably better than most isekai nowadays since most protagonist are just self-insert. I guess from that perspective NGNL has advantage. I haven't watched slime and I don't think Noragami is masterpiece. Keep in mind just just because I think something isn't masterpiece that doesn't mean I hate it. I have started to dislike isekai genre because is often use cheap tricks. The genre has potential but it doesn't play to its strength.

obvious_troll said:
[This is my personal opinion and is highly subjective. You are allowed to disagree, present a counter argument or debate. Every argument has a counter argument and I believe my argument has one too. I would like to hear it from you. An argument without a counter argument is a straight up fact which can't be debated. Please don't get infuriated just because an argument doesn't align with your beliefs]

As the title implied. If No Game No Life were to release nowadays it would get less rating. Let me clarify why?

There are two main reasons why I think that
1. The genre is oversaturated
2. No Game No Life may be enjoyable but it has flaws

1. The first point is self-explanatory and applies to most of the isekai series. Over saturation in isekai is an issue that I think almost all anime watchers are aware of. The concept has been used so many time most of the shows are a copy of each other with ever so slight changes. Even if we ignore copy pasta most of the isekai shows use cheap cliches and tropes. Personally, I wouldn't mind an isekai series that copies the typical formula but gets the basic storytelling elements right. I remembered I a guy telling me that Re; Zero is the best isekai show. When that guy said that I tried to think of a show that is better(Note 1) than Re; Zero(If you know one please let me know). Despite so many shows, the most impact an isekai show had is SAO which isn't exactly a classic masterpiece. It may be a classic if your basis is popularity but in terms of writing. It is big no. Manga/LN authors are essentially throwing stuff on a wall hoping something would stick and by a chance, something sticks. If a story does stick the writing quality of that story is usually average when compared to other genres. Basically to create a famous isekai show you need a story that doesn't completely suck but also doesn't need to completely blow your mind away as well.

2. In No Game No life our main characters play games against to win different stuff. Each match is supposed to put the viewer in dilemma or make them worried that how our protagonist can overcome the hurdle. This was only true for a handful of matches. After that the story kinda becomes predictable. Now you can argue that that is not the first time anime has done that and every shonen battle anime is like that. The important part is the journey and not the end so just enjoy the matches. Right? Fine. The journey is important but you need to create stakes in order to make sure the audience is really invested. A lot of shonen show also succumb to this issue which is created by ever-increasing stakes that become forced after a while. A lot of shonen anime that got around it fixed the issue by introducing the power scale. In No Game No Life the highest level player would be Teto and by simply having a serious matching against him and making the character lose might fix the issue. Also, this gives the audience something to look forward to. I know I am yammering about the repetitive nature of games. Let us say it is fixed somehow. My other issue would be characters and how the show treats the audience. The previous issue compared to this isn't that big of the deal. So the first issue would be even though the show says Sora and Shiro are both equally important. In reality, only Sora seems to be the protagonist of the show. Shiro is like a supporting character rather than the main character. The show uses Shiro to create stakes in the show which is fine but it should do it with a more balanced approach so that it is actually even. Besides Main Cast, the supporting cast of the show also suffers. Like Stephanie whose only purpose is to act dumb to make main characters explain what is going on. The show doesn't remain consistent with it. The show makes her dumb or smart just for convenience which makes it feels like that the show is taking a jab at the audience for being ignorant. Also, the show makes the main cast look smart by making everyone around them dumb. This is really stupid(A show airing nowadays also seems to be suffering from the same issue. Hint: Shield). The remaining is filled with typical cliche anime characters including (loli, fox girls, elf, angels, etc...) even so when our MC defeats a character. They kinda become useless or underutilized which makes them look like cardboard cutouts.

Last but not least. No game no life is an enjoyable show but 8.37 might be too high for it. Keep in mind that I am not saying that this show should have 6 > rating. An acceptable rating for me would be [7.0-8). The has a lot of things going for it but I think people exaggerate it. If you disagree with my opinion please let me know and provide detail so I know how I am wrong. Thank you for reading my big complaint note.

Note 1: When I was looking for a show that is better than Re; Zero. I wasn't counting the shows that are equal or come close it. I was looking for classics that one would say are masterpieces. Re; Zero is not there yet. In fact, no incomplete show should be given that status. Shows can turn shit just before ending so for me only complete shows can be a candidate for classic masterpieces. I put shows that are incomplete but good in a separate list.

Anoo-Domini said:
it might true if the no game no life release nowadays
but most Isekai genre releasing right now or in the past mostly trash (i like some Isekai back then not right in summer 2019(i mean the new adaptation except Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka II i guest)but it depend in naive people who like trash isekai that actually trash story line(and i'm a trash i guest so because i like Kenja no Mango in the start but i realise it was a trash to))

and i'm desperate to watch no game no life season 2

Ryu1908 said:
I still don't know how this shit was rated high in the first place when it's barely different from SAO, which people hate.

YukiteruSora said:
Talking about 7-8 rating for NGNL and full serious means that Re:Zero is better lol

robhans said:


I stopped trying to understand this long time ago, cause it makes no sense. Like everything that people hate SAO for its in this series. It's even worse - it got more op protag than Kirito and way more pointless fanservice, more pedo bait, more incest bait. Like it's mystery for me.

JizzyHitler said:
It was kind of lightning in a bottle popularity, and this was definitely a series that saw an almost immediate drop off in popularity when it ended which isnt exactly uncommon. But I feel like its kind of pointless to even speculate how it would of done now since you can say the exact same thing for tons of stuff that were popular if you released them at a different time, trends die down or change priorities. I doubt many of the things that blow up would actually retain the same impact if released at a different period, like would Madoka or Evangelion have anywhere near the same level of impact had they been released this season?

Anoo-Domini said:
it might true if the no game no life release nowadays
but most Isekai genre releasing right now or in the past mostly trash (i like some Isekai back then not right in summer 2019(i mean the new adaptation except Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka II i guest)but it depend in naive people who like trash isekai that actually trash story line(and i'm a trash i guest so because i like Kenja no Mango in the start but i realise it was a trash to))

and i'm desperate to watch no game no life season 2

Im_a_ge_ said:

Why do so many of you consider danmachi an isekai? Not every adventure story is an isekai or maybe I'm missing something but since the sub-genre blew up I see many people classify it as an isekai. It has many similarities with popular isekai and has many of the tropes used but the essential part of being isekai is the "going to another word" plot device, through either being summoned, reincarnated or transferred and Bell wasn't from another world

D-ohnuts said:
I somewhat agree, but for different reasons.

When Rising of the Shield Hero came out, people said, "Oh no, this is misogynistic filth! It promotes rape culture!" because he gets falsely accused of rape and buys a girl as a slave, even though the show doesn't claim all rape victims are liars and he generally treats his slave like an equal.

So considering how in this series, Sora is constantly molesting other girls and treats them like objects, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a bigger backlash against NGNL and it had a lower rating if it came out now.

-Ryu said:
I still don't know how this shit was rated high in the first place when it's barely different from SAO, which people hate.

DarkSaintOfGin said:
You must watch anime with at an AMAZINGLY shallow level if you think NGNL is "barely any different" than SAO. They're barely even the same. They have completely different worlds, underlying plots, characters, character dynamics, tone, messaging. It's exceptionally clear you don't even understand the basic plot elements in either of those series.

The only think they have in common is they involve playing games and even that is in a completely different way. If it's the trivial bullshit like fan service or op characters or whatever that are you defining traits for "exactly the same" then setting aside that being the world's most idiotic criteria for drawing a comparison, because NGNL is fundamentally different that SAO in tone, themes, and characterization (aka: the meat of any story) the fan service and OP characters work because NGNL is an over-the-top comedy. There isn't a genuinely serious moment in it. Hell, NGNL the series is significantly different than even NGNL:Zero.

Also SAO is one of the most popular anime series around so "everyone" most certainly doesn't hate it and you're an idiot if you believe that. A very small, vocal group who think their elite but apparently with the depth of toddlers hates it. Most people think it's at least decent. Personally I find some of it good and some of it boring but shows that everyone hate don't get nearly 100 eps and multiple movies. That should just be common sense but then I'm talking to some who thinks SAO and NGNL are "exactly" the same so you can't be working with much up there.

Camus482 said:
Regarding obvious_troll's initial remarks.


-Ignoring the question of how well No Game No Life would stack up if released nowadays, I wish to address the critiques levied against it.
-NGNL has plenty of flaws, but I disagree with obvious_troll on what they are. And I find it troubling that they failed to note any of the show's strong points.

1. Anyways, I agree that the games we've witnessed are predictable in their results, and the ways those results are obtained require a sizeable amount of disbelief suspension. Honestly, the games themselves are one of the weaker aspects of the series.
-That said, what I really enjoy about NGNL is what I call the grand or ultimate game that is being played between Kuuhaku and Tet. The end goal is for everyone to "have fun and play together", but how are Sora et al going to make that happen? And as they make progress towards this end, what can they do to improve life on Disboard? These are the questions I'm really looking forward to being answered.

2. Moving on, obvious_troll also mentions the dynamics between Sora and Shiro and how Shiro feels like the sidekick. Well, that's because she is. Sora is our main point of contact; NGNL is in large part a male power fantasy, after all. Shiro is half of Kuuhaku, yes, but Sora is the main plot piece. And between the two, he has to be. Shiro is a super-genius, but not in regards to more emotional and social matters. As such, Sora, who is still OP but more relatable, necessarily becomes the predominant figure.

3. Lastly, in defense of the main cast, I think Steph is the only character written carelessly. Her ancestor from NGNL: Zero, Coronne, is much more palatable in comparison. So... yeah, I agree with obvious_troll there. But I don't think the author is taking jabs at the audience via her character. Sure, she's the "normal" one, and we're "supposed" to insert ourselves into her perspective. But for me, I relate to the whole cast, not just Steph. Kurami, for example.
-Speaking on behalf of the others, I may as well start with Kurami. The initial foil to Sora's humanist philosophy. She served as a sceptic for much of the first season, which was important. We, the audience, come from the same world as Sora, so it was crucial for a human from Disboard to illustrate reasonable concern over Kuuhaku's course of action.
-And how bout best bae Jibril? The elitist with a fetish for knowledge and propensity for violence. She had me at hello, but for those not immediately smitten, her character is softened by a handful of touching moments. Like the night when she appeared to Steph and asked her to visit Sora in light of the fierce argument the two just had.


In conclusion, I agree with obvious_troll that NGNL has a lot going against it (... I didn't even get to talk about the unnecessary ecchi fanservice), but I disagree with them on the exact nature of those flaws. And I just wanted to elucidate some of the show's strengths, since obvious_troll failed to do so.