OVERALL--
Tokyo Ravens takes about five episodes before it really finds its footing; however, once it does, this show progresses with a great pace that will keep viewers interested through all 24 episodes! The ending is slightly open to interpretation, but comes to a satisfying conclusion. It leaves the viewer ready to continue on with the characters into their next big adventure, while still bringing the current story arc to a close. Overall, a very enjoyable show and well worth the watch!
MAGIC SYSTEM--
A huge part of this anime is the magic system, which presents some of the show's highest and lowest points. Tokyo Raven's magic system is never given clear cut rules or limitations, which may leave some viewers frustrated. However, this lack of definite limitations allows for some excellent fight scenes because the magic can be used is so many creative and varied ways. A highlight of the series is the magic battles, which are interesting and never repetitive; they almost never use the same trick twice!
CHARACTERS--
At first, the characters may seem a little cookie-cutter, with some of the typical "anime friend group" cliches; however, the show is not limited by this because each of the mains ends up so gosh darn likable! The mains are believable, with enough backstory to give them depth.
The cast of supporting characters is wide, which allows for a lot of interesting personalities. Unfortunately, for a show with only 24 episodes, I found the cast a little TOO wide to keep track of all the characters at some points. Despite this, the wide range of characters allows the show to build up an interesting motif examining the reality and meaning of trust. As a viewer, you are never quite sure who you can trust, which mirrors the struggles of the characters. This gave the story extra intrigue as allies split into factions, friends turn into opponents, and previous enemies unite as accomplices.
ART--
The major flaw in the art is how starkly the CGI stands out against the traditional animation. The CGI is mainly used on the familiars in battle scenes, but I found it both jarring and distracting. Other than that, the art is fairly consistent throughout the show, with vivid colors, enjoyable character designs, and beautifully animated spell work.
SOUND--
The show presents a strong voice acting cast with bright sound editing and mixing, but falls short in musical composition. I didn't find either of the opening or ending themes memorable. Furthermore, the show did not make good use of background music, even though there were many instances where music could have provided a great boost to the emotion or energy of the scene.
SUBS OR DUBS?
Finally, as a lover of both subs and dubs in different situations, (and having watched Tokyo Ravens in both), I recommend the subs on this one. I found the subs to be slightly better in their explanations of plot intricacies, and the Japanese voice actors to be better suited to the characters as I understood them.
PROS--
+good pacing
+creative magic battles
+likable main characters
+visually appealing spell work
+strong Japanese voice cast
CONS--
-slow and slightly confusing start
-lack of clear rules/limitations to magic
-some distracting CGI
-little to no effective background music
