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Jul 19, 2024
Zero, the leader of the pioneering hero's party and a legendary figure in the hero society of H City, has gone missing after many years of service. Praised as the strongest hero of humanity, many new heroes aspire to reach his level as they apply for the Hero Association entrance exam. Jie Lin, a typical nobody who wants to join the Hero Association, participates in the entrance exam to become a registered hero. With an unknown background, Jie Lin makes friends as he enters the association and is deployed on missions as a low-rank hero. How does Jie Lin's mysterious persona develop as we delve
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deeper into Hero Return?
Story & Character: 6/10
Hero Return is your typical superhero series where the main character has a mysterious past that they try to hide behind the facade of a simplistic low-ranking rookie hero. It begins as a sort of exploration-style narrative where we see the heroes deployed on rescue missions, catching underground criminal organizations with rogue heroes. One aspect I wasn't very fond of was the comedy, which strayed the series away from substantial plot development, especially in the beginning. Hero Return does well to orchestrate character dialogue, but it drags the story, slowing down progression. The main story arcs also felt unsubstantial because there is no significant plot structure or overarching milestones that drive the story forward. Instead, we are led by a story inspired by last-minute decisions and spontaneity, distracting the series from a continually built-up development. The story did well with its mysteries despite the pitfalls in other avenues, and it was interesting to learn of the complexity between the large factions of H City and their involvements in the Hero Association. Understanding the connection between the many factions helped with the story's depth.
The main character Jie Lin is developed with the most focus, but his character still lacks much depth. Whether that was an approach to enhance the mystery behind his persona or poor management, I won't be able to discern. However, toward the end of the series, his character development picks up, especially with the conflict against one of the major young leaders of H City. The side characters are largely unaffected in terms of development once they are introduced to the series, which also influences their involvement in the series. Many of the characters like Thirteen, Xue, Miss Dong, don't feel like important characters because the only major moments they have in the series are either comedy or rescue/petty sympathy. It doesn't help that the milestone events like missions weren't that prominent and felt more like side events. Despite that, the characters were enjoyable and didn't get too serious. I would have enjoyed less comedic dialogue in favor of a better set of character-worthy events.
Art & Sound: 5/10 & 7/10
Hero Return doesn't have leading art and animation in the donghua space, especially during large dialogue scenes. Much of the budget went to the latter duel scenes, and it's obvious because the cinematography and fight choreography were much more breathtaking than the smaller fight scenes against bandits and small-time hero conflicts. What made the animation so good was the attention to detail when it came to impact frames and power moves like Zero's first and second form attacks. Second form Redemption felt very significant, especially with the timing of the move and delays. The series does require attention in the dialogue scenes despite the great attention to detail in the flagship fight scenes because they feel more like a slideshow. Character design and antagonist designs were good and didn't look too cheap, especially the rogue heroes seen in the beginning and end of the series.
The sound design made use of a heroic theme song representing the hero Zero, which always played in scenes of conflict against Jie Lin and opposing factions. It grew on me and made the fights more thematically connected. Hero Return's ending theme was also very emotionally invoking. It felt synonymous with series like Monster and Berserk because the beat was slow and more on the mysterious end.
Overall & Enjoyment: 6/10
Hero Return does well to unravel a mysterious figure and build up conflict between large factions of H City and the Hero Association. It could have worked more on the antagonism between these factions but followed more of a comical approach as a parody of One Punch Man. Overall, it was a decent watch, just above average given the interesting set of characters, a fairly common hero premise, and complex connections between prominent factions.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 11, 2024
Kai Feng Qitan is a historical series following Governor Bai, a government official in charge of a small region in ancient China. Alongside Bai, an advisor and a guard help him manage his daily tasks and uphold his flawless standards in surprising ways. They encounter enemies and peasants who require their ruling verdicts to resolve conflicts. How do Governor Bai's daily activities unfold?
Story & Characters: 5/10
This series follows a casual and nonchalant approach to story and plot progression. There are no overarching goals or lingering problems for Governor Bai to address, making this series more fun and casual. However, this isn't necessarily a strength. At
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several stages, the story develops behind a facade of awkwardly arranged plot events hidden behind dense comedic sequences. By the end of the series, most of the story development felt underdeveloped despite its attempt to end on a more serious note. These parody series often have this problem, where the series is 90% satire but when it tries to delve into dedicated plot progression and story conclusion, it feels forced and lacking. It could have remained 100% satire or taken a more formal approach to narrative development rather than switching tones in the epilogue.
The characters were memorable due to the unhinged and slow-burn comedy they portrayed. Characters like Swordmaster Bai and Guard Zhao especially portrayed many drama series protagonists with a subtle hint of closet BL, but the execution was more about taking a hit at the demographic itself rather than developing a convincing connection. The characters outside of Governor Bai's group felt very expendable and unmemorable, often referred to by their roles like thief, bandit, etc., which saw the series throw away potentially interesting characters for the future. Character development was expected of a gag comedy series despite its genuine and satirical attempts.
Art & Sound: 5/10
The art is of decent quality for the release period, but the animation tanked the series hard. It's no wonder a scene and dialogue were dedicated to mock the exclusion of fighting animation between a thief and Guard Zhao. As expected of a parody series, it did well in terms of diversifying the scenes with bright and showy displays of text, background, and character designs despite the lack of animation consistency.
The sound design was mediocre and passable by modern standards. The voice acting, soundtracks, and sound effects were all executed as expected of a smaller-budget series.
Overall & Enjoyment: 5/10
I enjoyed this series; at certain stages, the comedy felt a bit forced, and the dialogue dragged out some slow-burn jokes for too long. Overall, it was an average watch, with nothing too outstanding despite its many pop culture and anime references.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jul 10, 2024
Humans from a distant future travel to the past to cultivate a human who can prevent Earth from being destroyed by invaders from another universe. Super Xiang is a Chinese gag series where the main character, Pin Xiang, is born with superhuman abilities and is subconsciously tasked with pursuing a career in professional football (soccer) to save Earth from a future calamity. As Xiang grows older, his adventurous ambition starts at the Academy, where the soccer club struggles to gain new members. To realize his dream, he begins the first step of stardom—recruitment. How does Pin Xiang fare against an oblivious impending doom?
Story & Character:
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6/10 & 8/10
The story isn't ambitious or serious in the slightest; however, this is where Super Xiang deviates from your typical sports anime. It flips the genre on its head by using pop culture references and sports tropes in devious ways to develop the story and characters. For example, instead of the main character and his team being the typical petty underdogs, Super Xiang belittles this trope by making it an opposing team. Many events in the series didn't seem significant at the moment but accumulated into an enjoyable execution. My only gripe is that the story started as satire but eventually grew into a full-blown rivalry between opposing teams, which I wasn't expecting.
The characters in this series are probably the most enjoyable I've seen in a sports anime. They nail a plethora of personalities and go beyond with the unhinged main character, Xiang. The over-the-top dialogue and slow-burn comedy add to the enjoyment of each character. Each character recruited by Xiang shines in the spotlight, with backgrounds littered with obstacles interfering with their joy for soccer. This subtle development works well in fostering characters from various regions and social standings. However, I wish they had treated characters more canonically and kept only the important ones named. Since there were several opposing teams and extras, it was difficult to remember some of their names and faces.
Art & Sound: 6/10 & 5/10
The art lacks in terms of animation but makes up for it with very bright and flashy visuals. The character designs are typical of a sports anime, with each team member having distinct personalities. However, Super Xiang focuses primarily on Pin Xiang, resulting in other characters lacking consistent design. Despite this, the focus on Xiang is a welcome addition, considering the series revolves around him. The hidden liberation style sequences felt like comedic stereotypes against capitalism, possibly subliminal propaganda pushed by a certain party.
The sound design is largely mediocre and passable. The voice acting is generally good, but sometimes it is overdone in scenes with Pin Xiang. The soundtracks are used but not to a standard that would make them stand out as masterpieces.
Overall & Enjoyment: 7/10
If I were to explain this series to a new viewer, I would say that Super Xiang is a crossover between Saiki K and every sports anime in existence. The series does well to cover a lot of pop culture references and takes hits at how ridiculous modern sports anime can be. It wouldn't be a Chinese piece without mentions of economics and financial endeavors. I enjoyed the series overall but wished they had stuck to a less serious ending, as the final episode took a more serious approach than the usual light-hearted comedy seen throughout the rest of the series. Despite this, it was still a good watch, and I look forward to a sequel.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 10, 2024
Fantasy Hunter follows Xu Mo, a student and avid gamer in the multiverse virtual world known as Brainstation. Xu Mo and his sister, Luo Lan, aspire to become bounty hunters who roam this virtual world, uncovering game bugs, viruses, and solving cases as part of the Phantom Hunters task force. They are drawn into the affairs of the Phantom Hunters after passing the trials to join the task force. When Xu Mo learns of a secret rescue mission involving the Phantom Hunter association, he is compelled to participate to save those whose consciousnesses are trapped in the virtual world.
Story & Character: 2/10
The storyline feels like
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a poor imitation of Sword Art Online. The concept of being trapped in a game world is overused, and Fantasy Hunter contributes little new to the genre. The pacing is too fast, skipping over the small details that are crucial for seamless transitions between events. This rapid pacing sacrifices depth, leaving most story arcs underdeveloped and forgettable. Conflicts are poorly constructed, with a lack of suspense and antagonists who appear too late to be effective. By the time antagonists are introduced, the series is a chaotic mess, attempting to develop multiple side stories simultaneously.
Characters start with potential, but after the Moon Shadow Village arc, their development stalls, and new characters are introduced arbitrarily. Many side characters, apart from Wei Te, Zui Ci, Luo Lan, Qing Kong, and Xu Mo, exist merely to explain plans and worldly affairs, detracting from the adventure and resulting in poorly developed characters even within Xu Mo's group. The main antagonist and connected characters are hard to grasp due to limited information, and the presence of numerous prophets and deities makes their roles feel insignificant.
Art & Sound: 4/10 & 5/10
The art quality is inconsistent; while the first episode sets a high standard, the quality deteriorates significantly by the end of the series. There is only one notable action scene, less than 32 seconds long, involving Xu Mo and a fox-like prophet. Even this scene suffers from poor animation and character proportions, making it look like a choppy slideshow. However, character designs are generally decent, especially during the Moon Shadow Village mission arc.
The voice acting and sound effects are mediocre. While some effort is noticeable in the soundtrack during fight scenes, particularly those involving Xu Mo, Sorens, or Luo Lan, nothing else stands out.
Overall & Enjoyment: 3/10
I would have been content with another SAO clone featuring an overpowered main character, but instead, we got a convoluted rescue mission series set in a game world. The series concludes with a poorly executed cliffhanger, where much happens, but no significant action occurs. Many action scenes are skipped, showing only the aftermath or static side angles, resulting in a lackluster experience. If you enjoy mystery and don't mind putting extra effort into understanding the story context, this series might appeal to you. However, it falls short in almost every other aspect.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
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Jul 3, 2024
This series follows Gu Hai, an 80-year-old man who was once the richest person in Ancient China. Fifty years ago, he was transported from the modern world. Now suffering from severe hemorrhoids and on the brink of natural death, Gu Hai is offered the chance to restore his vitality to the age of 30 and become a divine being. The catch? He must assist a deity in resurrecting a person. To do this, Gu Hai is sent into a secret realm that only lower-level divine beings can enter. His task turns into an adventure of camaraderie as he seeks clues to a special treasure that
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can aid in the resurrection.
Story & Characters: 4/10 & 6/10
Wangu Xian Qiong starts off with a weak storyline and an inconsistent timeline that changes pace dramatically. Instead of beginning at the start of the isekai journey, it skips the accumulation phase and character establishment typically seen in more developed series. As a result, the story lacks a solid foundation in terms of characters, context, and premise. The series feels more like a parody gag show, as each episode is littered with over-the-top racial or hemorrhoid jokes. Toward the end, the story development and world-building pick up, but by then it's too late to develop a strong connection to the narrative, which is dragged out by an insignificant treasure-hunting arc in the secret realm.
Despite the distastefully bland side characters and villains, I personally enjoyed the characters and approach to character development in this series. We start with a main character who becomes young again and loses his stubbornness to explore due to his 'sickness.' Gu Hai becomes an unhinged character who expresses his feelings without consideration for others, making him a convincing and humane character. Characters like Will Smith, Xiao Rou, and General Gao were interesting with diverse backgrounds. Unironically, their characters are the stereotypical 'party' MC forms, yet their development throughout the series was refreshing. The hostile dynamic between Xiao Rou and the gentleman General Gao, contrasted with her friendly dynamic toward the scumbag Gu Hai, was an eye-opening and laughable development.
Art & Sound: 5/10
By modern standards, the art and animation are mediocre; however, for the release period, they were passable. The character proportions and animations weren't inconsistent, but since the series lacked much fast-paced action or quirky shot types, it was expected to see some consistency in quality. The environments felt lacking and empty at times, especially in the secret and spiritual realm.
The sound design was passable. Nothing stood out as spectacular, but nothing was noticeably poor either. The voice acting was decent, and the same can be said for the sound design and soundtracks.
Overall & Enjoyment: 6/10
This series requires a lot of thinking to process the events and character relations, as it sometimes skips important details. For example, Chen Taiji is mentioned once in the beginning and then brought back into the series arbitrarily with no introduction. While it had some funny moments and hidden references, the story lacked depth because it only started getting serious in the final episodes instead of building up organically. It's clear that this series relied on developing the premise and focused on the sequels to do much of the character and story development. Overall, it was a 6/10—above average but nothing outstanding.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jul 1, 2024
Sentai Daishikkaku! follows Combatant D, a member of the Monster Army who now serves as entertainment after being defeated and captured by humanity's superhero faction, The Rangers. Determined to fight against the prejudice he faces, Combatant D embarks on a mission to gather information on his enemies and seek revenge.
Story & Character: 5/10
Go Go! Loser Ranger! begins with an intriguing premise of victimized injustice, featuring a captured enemy who is humiliated for so long that he eventually decides to fight back. However, the story becomes stagnant after the initial arc, shifting focus to the next generation's coming-of-age ceremony. The pacing in this arc feels slow,
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with a lack of intensity in favor of action sequences between character factions, which dominate much of the series. The main character, Combatant D, is headstrong, leading to some questionable decisions, such as repeatedly infiltrating enemy territory despite being caught multiple times and using his abilities in ways that attract attention.
Rivalry is a strong tool for character development, serving as an obstacle that characters must overcome to build stronger bonds. However, in Go Go! Loser Ranger!, this concept is taken too literally, with rivalries dragged out unnecessarily, making them feel overextended. The character dynamics are interesting, and the series executes character twist reveals well, adding substance. However, beyond a select few, many character personalities are unremarkable and lack depth. The large number of characters introduced in such a short series leads to many underdeveloped personas.
Art & Sound: 5/10
The art is not the series' strength, with only the pilot episode featuring remotely appealing visuals. The art style is consistent in scenes with minimal conflict, but character designs become disproportionate during fast movement. The animation often feels like a slideshow, with limited movement beyond character mouths and limbs, but it remains bearable.
The series does not make significant use of thematic sound design. Sound effects are average, lacking impact or showiness. The voice acting is also average, with few opportunities for Combatant D's voice actor to display expressive dialogue throughout the series.
Overall & Enjoyment: 6/10
Despite the critical review, Go Go! Loser Ranger! shows potential, especially if given another cour to develop beyond its establishment phase. The main character could have been more competent; his continuous attempts with no results became tiresome. However, he demonstrates clever tricks toward the end of the series, particularly during the Ranger coming-of-age ceremony. While many characters are underdeveloped, they remain enjoyable due to the sense of uncertainty in their behaviors and backgrounds, which are slowly revealed with twists. The art is not impressive, but the pastel color scheme and light visual style are a welcoming appearance.
Go Go! Loser Ranger! may have its flaws, but it holds promise if allowed further development, offering an entertaining, albeit imperfect, series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jun 29, 2024
The New Gate is an immersive VRMMO game where tens of thousands of players find themselves trapped, unable to log out. The only way to escape is to defeat the final boss. Shinya Kiritani, a veteran player, manages to defeat the boss solo, seemingly allowing the players to return to the real world. However, Shin discovers he is the last player remaining and still cannot leave. He wakes up in a field and realizes he has reawakened in the game world 500 years later. Driven to understand what went wrong, he sets out to uncover the legacy he left behind.
Story & Character: 3/10 & 5/10
The
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New Gate lacks an ambitious hook or adventurous spirit, resembling a casual situational action series from the early 2010s. The story is shallow, with minimal attempts at complex development, making the events feel inconsequential. Suspense and drama are primarily conveyed through dialogue rather than action or adventure, often explained by Shin or other characters he encounters, limiting creative expression. The world-building is generic, with typical travels between rural towns but no substantial landmarks to tie the world together.
The characters are one-dimensional, with little to distinguish their personas. Shin himself lacks unique traits and empathetic emotions, often feeling monotonous in his encounters. The lack of character diversity is evident, with numerous attractive yet dense female characters who have little connection to the story's development. Prominent male characters are scarce, and the villains are conveniently male, while the few significant male characters are old and contribute little to the story. The New Gate has a lot of pitfalls in terms of its characters development beyond their existences.
Art & Sound: 4/10 & 6/10
The art and animation are subpar. There are series from 2012 with better visuals than The New Gate. The fight scenes are the only moments where the visuals improve; otherwise, the series relies on crude character animation with limited movement. Slideshow panning is frequently used, making the series appear cheap.
The sound design is unremarkable. The New Gate features basic sound effects and decent voice acting but lacks memorable thematic soundtracks.
Overall & Enjoyment: 4/10
The New Gate has a common premise of a main character stuck in a game world with overwhelming skill and game knowledge. It lacks depth, compelling visuals, and well-developed characters. However, as a game world isekai, it manages to maintain an entertaining story on a surface level. The series appears to be confined by budget constraints, sacrificing visuals and story for a completed single cour anime. It evokes nostalgia for budget early 2010s power fantasy isekai but offers little beyond that.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jun 29, 2024
Kaijuu No. 8 centers on Kafka Hibino, a 32-year-old member of a cleanup crew tasked with removing the remains of defeated Kaijuu. Having lost hope of joining the Kaijuu Defense Force and fulfilling a shared childhood dream with his friend, Kafka resigns himself to a life without his ambitions. However, after a routine cleanup job, a supposedly defeated Kaijuu revives and attacks Kafka and his colleague, endangering their lives. They are rescued by Mina Ashiro, the captain of the Kaijuu Defense team. Later, while recovering in the hospital, Kafka discovers a mysterious ability that reignites his aspirations to join the Kaijuu Defense Force one last
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time.
Story & Character: 4/10 & 5/10
Dystopian series typically deal with themes of unprecedented loss and struggle, but this show is held back by its predictable plot and minimal obstacles. The story feels similar to other battle shounen series like Attack on Titan, Fire Force, and My Hero Academia, with the main difference being the protagonist’s age. The narrative follows familiar arcs of recruitment, training, and deployment, which become repetitive and uninspiring as the series progresses. The only interesting part is the mystery behind the Kaijuu, but this too feels very familiar, like the special beings in other modern battle shounen series that stay hidden long enough to become powerful. The story's lack of real loss, due to its effort to stay child-friendly, further weakens its impact.
Kafka, despite being in his early to mid-thirties, acts immaturely, which undermines the idea of having an adult main character. This seems to be an attempt to appeal to the target audience while also addressing shounen elements, but it results in a protagonist who behaves more like an irresponsible man-child. While the characters have their own beliefs and unique relationships with Kafka, they still fit into typical roles and lack depth. Their backstories and struggles are not convincing, making their interactions feel shallow. Kafka Hibino and Mina Ashiro, in particular, suffer from this lack of development. Kikoru Shinomiya initially shows promise with a unique background, but her character is weakened by her interactions with Kafka.
Art & Sound: 8/10 & 6/10
Kaijuu No. 8 has impressive visuals, which is a refreshing appearance in a modern anime. The series starts with a pilot episode that showcases great cinematography and shot composition, but the quality gradually drops to more standard levels. However, the fight scenes maintain high detail and fluidity, even those not involving Kafka. Character designs, however, are inconsistent, likely due to the challenges of animating them in specific shots or fast-paced sequences.
The sound design is not particularly unique by modern standards. There are moments where thematic soundtracks and impactful sound effects enhance the experience, but the series overall does not make significant efforts in this area. The voice acting is well done, especially in comedic and misunderstanding scenes.
Overall & Enjoyment: 5/10
Kaijuu No. 8 is definitely carried by its animation, which is not a bad thing, especially in modern battle shounen anime. The story and characters are fairly interesting but not particularly special. The series feels like a mix of existing new-gen battle shounen without creating a unique identity of its own. A more mature approach, with complex, intertwined storylines, political and diplomatic tension, and a more nuanced set of characters, could have elevated the series making it a more appealing experience.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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Jun 27, 2024
Sakura leaves urban life for a quieter town known for its school of the strongest delinquents. Convinced he has what it takes to climb to the top, Sakura is ready to spend his high school days fighting for supremacy.
Story & Character: 3/10 & 4/10
Delinquent series typically incorporate elements of conflict over territory, finances, and hierarchy. While Wind Breaker includes turf wars, it lacks intensity, with fights ending in trivial ways. The series feels more like a civilized drama than a battle shounen, focusing on character dynamics and situational comedy rather than rivalry. Sakura's goal of rising to the top is challenged by the reality that
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Furin's hierarchy is determined by democracy, not meritocracy, making the story risk-averse.
Wind Breaker attempts to develop characters through conflict of identity, addressing their feelings instead of fostering rivalry. This results in characters with cringe-worthy personas and dialogues, particularly seen in Sakura and his enemies. The delinquents of Bofurin all seem one-dimensional, friendly types, with unique traits limited to unexpected hobbies or quirky habits. The series tries to develop character bonds with witty humor or forced camaraderie through minor events and flashbacks, leading to shallow connections. Ume and Chouji have split personalities that become delusional and awkward when they 'break,' making it difficult to endure.
Art & Sound: 7/10 & 6/10
The art and animation are Wind Breaker's saving grace. The character designs remain consistent, and the fight animations have superior visual impact and fluidity, making them breathtaking to watch. However, beyond this, the average frame is filled with minimal movement and typical comedic art tropes like super-deformed characters or expressive typography. The quality disparity between action and dialogue scenes is jarring but necessary to focus on the more important aspects.
The sound design in Wind Breaker is not too ambitious. There are thematic soundtracks, especially in conflict and comedy scenes. The voice acting suits the characters but lacks expression beyond their personas. Despite being the stereotypical weakling of Bofurin, I enjoyed Akihiko's unhinged dialogues of panic throughout the series.
Overall & Enjoyment: 4/10
The series would have been more enjoyable with a greater variety of characters. I expected turf wars, brawls, crime, and other delinquent activities, but ended up watching a class of truant students on neighborhood watch, rescuing missing cats. A grittier premise and more masculine characters could have enhanced the series, especially with its visually appealing fight choreography.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
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Jun 26, 2024
Hobin Yoo is a high schooler who falls victim to bullying and humiliation from his classmates. While slaving away at a part-time job to pay his mother's medical bills, Hobin discovers a faster and more lucrative way to earn money: NewTube, a social networking site where streams and videos that go viral turn financial situations. He sees his classmates, like Pakgo and Rumi, uploading content daily and is compelled to start his own.
Under the guise of a channel named "Viral Hit," Hobin challenges bullies, armed with effective fighting techniques learned from a mysterious NewTube channel. Determined to turn his life around no matter the
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cost, Hobin dives into the world of content creation prepared to put his life on the line. Will his efforts be in vain, or is there still hope for Hobin's career as a content creator?
Story & Character: 5/10 & 6/10
Viral Hit does well to articulate struggle and wit through its narrative, but it lacks depth and intensity. Any attempt to develop the story deeper is met with cheaply executed humor. The power scale is so arbitrary that battles with powerful foes don't feel suspenseful, and to make matters worse, the action sequences lack any form of animation whatsoever. Conflict slowly becomes more predictable as Viral Hit adopts battles of attrition, making them less interesting as the opponents become more prominent.
Viral Hit maintains a set of unique characters fairly well within a short time frame. There are delinquents, stoics, schemers, and many in-between. As the main character, Hobin feels like a convincing representation of an everyday high school student with his degenerate lifestyle and sly persona. His character execution was done a little too well to the point where I started to loathe his existence as the lead because his growth is belittled by fragile self-confidence. The drama felt more dynamic due to the shifts in each character's agenda to grow their following, which was a welcome inclusion despite being the only prominent source of drama in the series.
Art & Sound: 4/10 & 6/10
For a series that prides itself on its fights, there seems to be a major discrepancy with its animation. The consistent use of panning stills, re-used animations, and lack of movement limited the viewing experience. Character proportions, especially faces, fell apart whenever the character wasn't facing directly ahead or in profile view, which we see in characters like Rumi, Bomi, and Taehoon. However, the character designs were visually appealing when done right, with attractive eyes, hair, and teeth.
I enjoyed some of the soundtracks used in the background of the episodes; they featured punchy Korean rap in many of the conflict scenes, which set a wild and rebellious mood. Beyond that, there weren't many great attempts at thematic soundtracks or theme songs used in the series. The voice acting and sound effects met modern standards, so there weren't many gripes against either.
Overall & Enjoyment: 5/10
Viral Hit had me dying of second-hand embarrassment for lack of a better explanation. It was designed well in that regard, but it didn't have much impact visually or narratively, which made the progression and milestone events more or less unsubstantial. It was a decent watch, nothing spectacular in terms of art, character development or its plot. Not even an underdog style story because it lacks much of the assured growth you'd expect from constant self-sacrifices.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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