Sep 30, 2015
This show has so much potential, so while I did enjoy it (perhaps simply because there are not much similarly-themed anime to compare with) don't expect too much from this harem comedy anime. Quick review below:
STORY = 6/10
While having so much to offer, sadly GATE resorts to generic comedy harem theme every time it hints serious development to the main plot. I mean, we rarely have a chance to explore a situation where modern world clashes with fantasy world, and everytime I expect a progress after those "serious scene", all i get are filler-like episodes that took main plot almost nowhere. By the time I
...
finished this series, I still have no idea WHY the empire attacks Japan (an otherworld they know nothing about), HOW they build the dimensional GATE - IF they build it at all.
+ Genuine, refreshing idea
- Wasted its potential despite serious atmosphere hinted in early episodes
- Some plotholes and illogical actions taken by the power players that I cannot discuss without spoilers
ART = 6/10
+ Main points goes to detailed render of war vehicles & weapons
- Char and background are so-so, and it's pretty weird if you notice how the male and female eyes are in very different style, i mean i can understand if it was used intentionally to highlight the difference of real and fantasy world, but that is obviously not the case.
SOUND = 7/10
Similar to art, main points goes to detailed modern warfare sounds : engines, gunshots, etc. OP is pretty generic and ED is less than mediocre. Not that it matters much. Seiyuus did their job perfectly for characters they represent, but then again this is a standard we should expect from today's anime , so.. what else can i say?
CHARACTER = 4/10
Main screen time are spent on these main protagonists: Itami, Rory, Lelei, Pina Co Lada (in order of appearance), each represents a stereotypical harem casts in a slightly diferrent, original seting. It means they base their actions on harem logic. WISH I KNEW IT FROM THE START. That way i can prepare my mind by setting my expectation as low as possible.
Wait, what is harem logic? Let me illustrate by a few samples without spoiling it too much :
- Instead of asking the enemy "why did you attack us", or asking ANYONE that might have the answers.. you hang around with her and her harem army to get into harem situations as much as you could.
- Almost every main girls the main protagonist met succumb to his "charm" , by default or nice coincidence, whichever is more convenient. Also, the story at some point completely disregards plot logic and progress it has built.. to get main protagonist into harem situations. Again.
As for the other side characters.. they don't have much screen time. Even if a few of them have any, it's because they happened to be together with those main casts I mentioned above - and are used as "dolls" to complement whatever Itami's doing.
ENJOYMENT 6 / 10
Reflecting on how GATE treats the gate as a tool to build a comedy harem situations around it, instead of exploring its full potential and develop realistic / serious plot using up-to-date "modern warfare" know-how (yes it was being hinted in a few conversations, but they never develop it), I hereby judge GATE as "guilty pleasure" anime of this year
.. the pleasure mainly comes from a few action worthy moments & serious/ logical conversations in the first 2 episodes, which steadily drop as the series progress. I give it a 6 anyway, considering that some people may still enjoy it by adjusting their expectation or just because they like comedy harem theme.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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