RATING: 7.68 - Read rest of my review/rant to see my reasons why
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As many others have mentioned, this anime starts off quite weak with a rather non-unique setting, but then during its second act has a very, very exciting plot development that keeps you striving for more. Although unfortunately, there isn't anything more, and you are left with a hefty amount of new unanswered questions.
Story & Plot - - -
As I said before, the anime starts off with giving a generic shounen vibe, and you can almost find all the shounen clichés there are. For example; main character fails school but compensate for his intelligience with practical skills, there's the childhood friend, there is the ever so important promise from early childhood. A majority of the series takes place in high school setting. Also there is the glasses-guy, the big anime tiddies girl, the tsundere, the friendship is magic and will rescue the day and so on and so on.
So far it might not seem like too much of a premise, but becuase of a fast introduction followed right up by action, drama and mystery, you the viewer is immediately invested in the series.
Unfortunately, during its first half of the story, it is somewhat underwhelming. Events occur, but there is a lack of character developement and story progression. It is almost like the first half of the series is dedicated to introduce the viewer to this fictional universe (unfortunately, there isn't too much interesting, a lot of generic shounen magic-stuff with no real explanation to why things are like they are.)
It is not until at least after episode 14/15 things start to unravel itself and it starts to show some story heavy stuff.
And that's my point really. I just finished rewatching this anime for the second time, and previously having fond memories of this show, I was shocked. Halfway through the series it was nothing more than another mediocre, shounen-seasonal like anime.
...Buuut then things start to happen. The plot picks up some good pace and a well thought story starts to unravel. The second half/ the last episodes make up for the previously dull arc.
Art ~ ~ ~
Art/style/animation is mediocre. Little attention to detail and no interesting backgrounds. The CGI is really obnoxious, but.. sad but true, you get used to it, and it is used in moderation (except the first couple of epsiodes... Oh god my eyes).
Choreography is good. Not too many moving still-shots or "guy's so fast he zaps past his opponent, and seconds later opponent falls over/is cut apart because for some reason there is a delay to the blow becuase guy is faster than goddamn light". (Like it or not, but you can't deny it is bad/lazy animation technique).
Sound - - -
Soundtrack is decent, not memorable though. Though there is one especially nice piano melody which plays during sad/bittersweet moments. Unfortunately it gets kind of repetitive after 24 episodes.
Sound design is fine, but again, not memorable.
Characters ~ ~ ~
At first the cast is not impressive at all. Main character follows typical shounen clichés and the rest of the cast is- you guessed it, super generic. It's only a bit into the series each character start to develop into something interesting.
There are some interesting characters with even more interesting development, but... Okay it feels like I am repeating myself so I'll just finish this and then get to my point.
Enjoyment and Overall rating : : :
Overall, it is generic, mediocre, and at first very predictable. In this wall of text I have repeatedly said those specific words, generic,unfortunately and mediocre. There is no coming away from that. Though, during the second act it starts going into a great direction with lots of interesting twists, new revelations and lots of character developement, only to end with a bad conclusion.
The ending isn't bad, but all suddenly there are all these new problems and you the viewer is filled with both old and new questions; Who is that? How is he their "master"? What the hell did she do towards the last episode? What is going on, and what the hell is going to happen next?!
There is no conclusion. They introduce way too many story heavy/interesting characters right in the end of the series. Real shame.
No questions are answered and when it finally starts to get reeaaally good, it just kind of ends.
I found it very enjoyable, or rather, the finale of the series makes up for the otherwise dull and generic shounen anime you have seen too many times.
My biggest problem with this anime is that it ends with no conclusion, and it just teases you with the possibility of a sequel. Also it kind of states that "oh no how is it going to end? You should probably read up on the maangaa!" Goddamnit, I just wanted a finished anime.
Final Verdict, Good to very good, but maybe not a priority choice of what to watch anime.
