First and foremost, viewers beware, this series' ending is as compete as that in HSOTD. Imagine watching the original Battle Royale halfway and just stopping; that's pretty much the current conclusion for this series. Second, if you're tired of how mainstream video gaming has become in anime, avoid this as well. Third, if you don't like the protagonist "magically" surviving what can only be described as certain death repeatedly I'd pass on this as well. For all of you who this has not yet dissuaded, continue reading.
Animation:
The animation quality of the series is mixed. Overall lighting is above average and there is a good range of beautiful island scenery and darker, more tense moments. The drawing clarity and detail could be better at times but it doesn't necessarily stand out as a negative. One thing I did notice was how miraculous it was that the main characters still had clean clothes after days of fighting and blowing each other up. As for character styling, the main heroine has somewhat wide eyes that remind me of Key's old works. It was also convenient how her Btooom game avatar was close to how she looks in real life whereas Ryouta looks like a generic dude.
There's substantial sexual abuse, violence, and some gore in this show that make it inappropriate for those under 13. The camera does turn away at critical moments, and at one point utilizes an ugly black filter that covers half the screen- talk about laziness... Expect plenty of explosions, blood, and effects.
Sound:
Btooom utilizes a heavy rock jpop OP, which then strangely changes to a new OP by the same band in the last episode as if to signal a new arc. The ED is a cool down, mellow piece that has a distinctively unpleasant tune for me. The BGM fares better with an interesting mix of brass and some vocal work similar to the fight songs in Persona 4.
The cast is fairly average overall. I think it would have been a bit more realistic if every other person on the island didn't sound like they were already insane.
Story:
While it's true that there are now pro racing car drivers that were picked for their virtual driving skills, I don't think that carries over so well here. The idea is that the company that created Btooom is abducting "unwanted" people to do research for an unspecified purpose, perhaps some form of the battles between players in Zetman. Looking past the not-so-realistic premise, the show plays as a relatively entertaining thriller that's told from the perspective of multiple participants- each one trying to guess the intentions of everyone else.
The story often uses flashbacks and monologues to give background or explanation, some of which is overused.
Plot-wise, expect a fair variety of plot twists and cliffhangers. After awhile, I stopped being thrilled by the survival aspect of the show and migrated more into a guessing pattern as to how the protagonist would miraculously escape the next impossible situation. There is a huge plot shield on important characters, and it really takes away from the overall experience. As mentioned before, the story does build in tension until the last episode where it just sort of stops. No one rides a roller coaster to the top of the hill and decides "OK that was a great ride let's move on". I'm assuming that there will be a follow up but, regardless, this was poor execution.
Character:
Our protagonist, while a god in the virtual world, is just an average NEET in the real world; he's afraid of dying but doesn't want to kill anyone. Sound like anyone? Indeed, also like Kira Yamato, Ryouta is able to summon what amounts to SEED mode when he's pushed to a corner, somehow magically gaining foresight and instant athletic reflexes. There is supposed to be development with the characters as they grow to trust and interact with each other. However, Ryouta is just your typical anti-social dude who (strangely enough) trusts everyone without second thoughts. The story does play a bit with romance as Ryouta and Himiko had previously met in the online world but it was downplayed and ultimately had very little impact on where the story goes.
As for supporting cast, most of them are all antagonists and vilified to the point that it makes Mirai Nikki look good, which is quite saddening. Due to the huge plot shield and minimal character exposure/weird character behavior I found it quite difficult to connect with the characters.
Value:
While a fairly entertaining thriller early on, Btooom implodes when it comes to plot progression and character interactions. It fails to sell its premise and serves only to mock gamers. I may modify this if ever a second series appears but in the meantime, it wasn't worth the six hours.
