Overall (7/10):
I really wanted to like this anime from the first episode, and honestly I really did, even when it started interrupting the most crucial plot moments with filler. It was funny and interesting, the characters were charismatic, fun and interesting, and the plot would have been great if it wasn’t for all the interruptions. The problem that occurs is that the creators are trying to do too much with their material. Even though there is an overarching plot line, it doesn’t move smoothly and at times it’s a little confusing even though the concept shouldn’t be. Thus overall, I can’t objectively give this anime more than a 7 no matter how much I enjoyed it. And to enjoy it, you really have to not take it seriously. You have to accept the fillers as part of the story because once you start getting caught up in the plot, the fillers will just annoy you.
Okay now for the specifics:
Story (6/10):
Don’t let that score fool you, the main story itself is actually really interesting but all the interruptions and filler episodes make it hard to focus on the main plot. I can describe this anime as a mix between Gakuen Alice and Fairy Tail. A group of people with powers known as Minimum, trained by a secret school exclusively for these individuals, (known as Minimum Holders) form a detective and odd-jobs agency where they take on missions to help others with their problems. The missions they take on all end up connecting to the overarching plot somehow. All in all, the story is one that a fan of any anime genre could potentially enjoy, but in reality, if comedy or filler episodes bother you then this is an anime to stay away from. In order to keep the audience interested, the show throws in a lot of plot twists, some of which I enjoyed while others I found excessive or too dramatic seeing as how the anime itself shouldn’t really be labeled a drama at all.
For me, the characters really pulled the whole show together, and kept me interested even during the fillers, which brings us to our next category:
Characters (8/10):
Many of the characters are interesting and I’m glad that some of the fillers were actually devoted to giving us character backgrounds. I’ll start with my favorite character, called Art, who leads the police force in the city that Hamatora works in. He’s a complex character in his own right and I’m hoping the second season focuses more on him than fillers. The villain, Moral, is psychotic but also makes this show really interesting and moves the plot along. If nothing else, I’d watch this anime just for Art and Moral and their own conflicts. The main protag duo consisting of Nice and Murasaki are the team called Hamatora. They’re funny, have a strong sense of morality, cool, and basically everything you’d expect the protagonists to be, which actually makes them a little dull compared to Art and Moral because they’re so predictable. The other members of the Cafe Nowhere agency also make pretty interesting characters, such as Ratio and Birthday (I know they all have weird names) and Honey and Three. Each of these characters has their own minimum and uses them to take on missions for money. Another character who seemed to have a lot of potential that was not explored thoroughly (in the first season anyway) is Hajime. She’s basically a background character for most of the anime and all she does is eat, but I’m hoping there’s some more to her character in season 2.
Animation (7/10):
The animation was really good and the action sequences were pretty cool, even though it’s not much compared to actual action shonen genres like Naruto or Fairy Tail. The animation fits the story line well though it doesn’t really stand out so it’s a solid 7.
Soundtrack (9/10):
Okay I have to say the soundtrack was amazing. I really loved the openings and endings. They really fit the main story line and give the anime a whole new energy.
Final Notes:
All in all it wasn’t a complete failure of an anime, despite all the fillers. Actually, if you just go into it expecting to see the fillers and try to just enjoy them as they come, you might end up really liking this show. I’m definitely going to be watching season 2, if anything then for the conclusion to all those plot twists and also for the main story line, which I can’t deny is very worth watching.
