How did it hold up? It had it's problems, but otherwise it was actually better than I thought it would be.
(As a personal side note/help for all newcomers, I would actually suggest watching the 2009 OVA before watching this. It actually will help get you used to the world that the anime takes place in. Plus it looks really freaking pretty.)
(Also, I'm going to use the abbreviations of the Otherworld characters, because I'm just lazy.)
Story (8/10): This is an…interesting story to put behind B★RS (well, interesting if you haven't seen the OVA). Kuroi Mato is our main protagonist (and is connected to B★RS as well), attending school with her friend Yuu. She then ends up meeting Yomi and her…um…friend Kagari, which kick starts the plot. And where's B★RS, you may ask? Well she's in the Otherworld, a world populated by Other Selves of the main characters, and is fighting them for a purpose only she can really know.
The story itself isn't anything really spectacular, in the way that the plot doesn't seem to know if it wants to shock you, slowly build up paranoia, or just kinda appear somewhere. It actually seems to want to follow the storyline that the OVA set out, but it's almost like it gets sidetracked at the beginning. Though, I think that this is more that when they added 2 new characters to the mix (Kagari and Saya), the original plan for following the OVA was thrown into later episodes and they had to spend 3 out of 8 talking about the 2 newcomers. If I had to break it down, the first half is the weaker half story wise, while the second half is much better.
It does have the benefit of being very good at running against your expectations, since those first two episodes will make you go O ___ O.
Art (9/10): I think that this is the first anime that I've watched that has tried to integrate CGI that doesn't make me feel embarrassed for the anime. Seriously, this is by far the best use of CG in a show, trying to show how otherworldly the world that B★RS and the Other Selves fight in. Basically the whole world is unique and interesting to see. But I think that it works so well is thanks to the designs by huke, the original artist behind B★RS. The regular characters look great too, though the redesigns are a bit iffy. Personally I like them all (since they don't deviate too much from the original pictures and the OVA), though I do have to agree that Dead Masters redesign is a bit strange if you're used to her regular appearance.
Sound (7/10): We have the original Black ★ Rock Shooter song sung by Miku Hatsune as the opening, which I have to admit, is pretty fucking sweet. Granted, I don't like the Vocaloid auto-tune that you hear throughout the song, but thanks to the music being done by supercell, I can completely forgive it. (Seriously, supercell does an awesome job on this song, especially with the last guitar riff in the song.) The ending was OK, but I never really listened to it.
Characters (7/10): Here's where I have my gripes with the show. I have no problems with Mato, Yomi, Yuu, B★RS, DM, Strength, and Black ★ Gold Saw. They get good character development and are generally likable or memorable characters. Mato is a kind and excitable girl who wants to help others. Yomi is quiet and just wants a friend to be with. Yuu is much more likeable here than in the OVA, since she gets the added benefit of being genuinely funny. The Other Selves are fighters that get character development later on in the show, but they still have the mystery of who they really are to benefit them.
I don't like about the anime are the characters Saya and ESPECIALLY Kagari. Starting with Saya, her personality is just too hard to get a lock on for too long, so her part in the story later on feels like it just kinda…happened and we have to deal with it now. It's not horribly annoying, per say, it's just inconsistent.
Kagari, on the other hand, wasn't really needed in this show. At all. She gets added in as Yomi's 'friend' and in her introductory episodes is creepy and would make a good villain. But then they just end that all in episode 2. So what does Kagari do from there on out? Nothing important outside of leading Yomi farther down the path that she would have gone on anyways had she not been there. And her Other Self Chariot? Disappears till the last episode and doesn't do anything there either. Kagari just feels so horribly tacked on and useless that I'm surprised that they tried to make her such a big part of the cast when overall she does jack squat. (Plus, there's at least 2 canon Other Selves that they could've used, but I have the feeling that they wanted huke to squeeze out a new one for promotional stuff.)
Enjoyment (8/10): This may not be the most introspective show ever, but I'll be damned if I didn't enjoy watching it. The characters have good chemistry and you really want to see where the story takes them. I was intrigued with what the deal with the Otherworld was and how awesome all of the fight scenes in this series were. Plus, you get to see IB★RS, which is pretty damn cool.
Black ★ Rock Shooter may not be the best anime, but for what it is, it's pretty good. It has a strong script, good characters and good designs for them, awesome fight scenes, and is just a fun little ride for fans of B★RS. It has it's weak points, but I think that you can overlook them and enjoy the show. Definitely recommended if you're a Vocaloid/B★RS or Magical Girl fan.
Overall scoring - 7.8/10
