Myriad Colors Phantom World is experiencing a similar "big brother" effect. Having been produced by Kyoto Animation, the excellent animation studio responsible for very well respected series such as Clannad, K-On, Kyoukai no Kanata and Free, Phantom World comes out of the gate with an unrealistically high bar to meet.
The truth of the matter is that Phantom World is a fine anime series. The characters aren't anything you haven't seen before but are all lovable and I can confidently say I will remember most of them several months down the road. The plot and story come off as a little dry and recycled from years of "industry standard meta" material but the uniqueness of the main characters power helps add a little bit of fresh air into the dank plot.
The story chugs along at an even pace that may range from "watchable" to "enjoyable" with the last two episodes being the clear highlights of the entire 13 episode span with a villain that is as refreshing as she is "ara ara".
The animation is outstanding, to put it bluntly, meeting the already "above and beyond" standards set by Kyoto. The sound track is another, often over-looked gem. The near constant stream of excellent music helps bring the scenes to life and is nothing but a compliment to the animators at Kyoto.
All in all Myriad Colors Phantom World may not be remembered as the defining anime released under the Kyoto name but it is certainly a fine accomplishment. And that is okay. It is alright for us to enjoy something, even if it isn't "as good" as we would have liked.
