Let's get the bad thing out of the way. The execution of the writing. The first 2 episodes and the last 5 episodes I absolutely loved, however, all that was in-between I would have counted as filler if they didn't come into use (even though small) in easily one of the best finale's of the year. Their were three writers to the series, and all had their own distinct style which creating a bit of a problem for many watchers. The weakest out of which is the writer not mentioned in the staff part of this series' page. When she was on script, the series felt rushed and packed with completely forgettable introductory episodes. The writing itself I had no problem with, it was excellent and daring, but it was the execution of some episodes that really dragged it down. However, even if those episodes left a sour taste in the mouth, the finale quickly redeems those faults.
Production -
The production is on the complete opposite of the spectrum. Even if just for the production, watch this series. This really proved that Lerche is full of both veterens and creative young animators alike. Just like in all other of their series, their wasn't a single frame that wasn't near perfect art. The animation was well above the average standard also. However, it was the creative aesthetics that made this show so excellent. Everything has meaning. Its full of symbolism and unique visuals which change depending on what point of view the episode focuses on. The cgi was really well done and blended in nicely, and the colour palette was extremely vibrant and atmospheric in itself. The voice acting was also incredible, with the most notable actors being Jun Fukuyama with his short yet absolutely phenominal role as a key character. The music was excellent, as would be expected from the man behind "Your Lie In April"'s soundtrack.
However, the man who deserves the most praise is Seiji Kishi. His cinemetography, choreography and just overall his direction is still to this day second to none in the T.V. anime industry.
Highlights of the series -
Music - Phenominal
Voice Acting - one of the best acting of the season
Art - very minimal flaws only noticeable if going individual frames at a time.
Animation - varying from fluid to movie quality
Direction - some of the best directing of the year.
aesthetics - almost studio Shaft in nature.
The Finale - couldn't have been more excellent.
Overall, this proved many things to us about studio Lerche.
1 - they are daring and will not hold anything back. They are also masters at censorship, sometimes the censorship is used to even compliment the overall visual.
2 - they have excellent production quality
3 - they are a studio that can actually think
4 - they are incredibly creative and unique
5 - they have massive potential going forward
Ranpo Kitan was a great series only bogged down by poor scripting.
