Shingeki no Bahamut is a series that I don't seem to love as much as others, which I will explain in detail while trying not to spoil too much.
First of all, the music and art is great, presenting the show in a spectacular package. Even the occasional CGI monsters works for the most part, sticking out yet without looking lazy.
I was drawn in by the idea of bounty-hunting and the refreshing design of our swashbuckling main character, Favaro, who brings in just the right balance of charm and goofiness. The conflicting relationships he shares with everyone around him is also an unending spring of entertainment.
The first episodes present an interesting concept. After bragging at a bar, Favaro unwittingly tricks a demon-girl and gets into a contract with her. Our suave rogue is now stuck with a demon far stronger than himself, who could easily destroy him with the flick of a finger if she realized he lied to her. It had great potential for some mind-games, with Favaro constantly having to lie and outsmart the demon in order to survive.
Sadly this is where the characters start to show how underdeveloped they are. The demon-girl turns out to be a naïve girl, easily outsmarted by everyone, turning into a plot-device and a damsel in distress. The promise of a great character-dynamic between her and Favaro goes straight out the window. My biggest pet-peeve however is that Favaro suffers from an old shounen-trait, which is that he’s too cool to care about anything. Is Favaro cool? Sure. Does having no clear motivation make him cooler? Not really. If anything it just makes him look like a third wheel when he's dragged into situations against his will. He even states out loud that he doesn't know exactly why he's doing what he's doing. He says he wants to rebel against destiny and forge his own path, yet his motto is “the wind blows to tomorrow”, symbolizing just how much he's guided by wherever the wind blows him. In a nut-shell this is what made the characters a let-down for me.
The story is a mish-mash of ideas that I’ve already seen done better. The great personification of evil that’s about to be awakened after a thousand years. The bickering trio from Samurai Champloo. The literal retelling of Jeanne d’Arc’s legend with the added twist at the end.
The story has several problems, but one is far bigger than the others. Our title-character Bahamut is not even remotely involved with the main characters until the last third of the series. The angels, demons and Jean d’Arc however are involved with Bahamut early on. I felt like the actual main characters were left to aimlessly wander while the main plot developed in the background.
Overall it is a well-animated series with an underdeveloped story that never delivers on what could have been something far greater.