I think the statement above is applicable to this show.
Rokka no Yuusha felt like the typical adventure-fantasy-magic-action anime, but after a few episodes, it explored a premise which is quite uncommon for those adventure-fantasy-magic-action anime; mystery. A mission to slay the Demon King suddenly got turned into a dangerous guessing game of "who's the traitor?" In the first place,that's what got me interested in this show.
Although many reviewers say that the mystery aspect in the show is crappy, I think that it's actually quite decent (before the last episode at least). Yeah, maybe I'm quite dense, but I wasn't able to figure out who the traitor is. As the show progressed, my suspect list changed again and again, but in the end I guessed wrong. I like how the show managed to keep me guessing, trying to figure out the M.O of the culprit. Almost every one of the six (or should I say seven) heroes had a reason to be suspected, like their suspicious behaviour, the sudden close-ups...
The ending spoilt the series though. The plot is progressing...then suddenly there's this twist. Surprise!!The one who is not what he/she seems is the traitor. It's good and bad at the same time. Yeah, it caught me off guard, but it made those earlier explanations seemed pointless. Like, what a waste of time. The revelation of the traitor's identity could have been executed better so that it doesn't feel so sudden and rushed.
Frankly, those anticipating a battle between the heroes and some 'Big Bosses' typically found in this kind of genre would be utterly disappointed, because more than half of the episodes were dedicated to the "guessing game". Action scenes are abundant, but it's mainly fights with the fiends and among the heroes. The action scenes make up for it, as battle scenes are fluid and done nicely. It was easy and entertaining to watch. The art is average, but sometimes it can be pretty as well; the sunsets were beautiful. The landscapes were diverse and colourful, but there was not too much detail given to it.
The character designs are nice and pretty. I think that Flamie's design is very unique, with her white hair and eyes and also her attire. The main character, Adlet is also likeable, if you just look past his annoying 'strongest man in the world' punchline. He's capable and is a genius, and he also got some background development. Only a few characters got background or developed, but the others didn't really felt unimportant. The cast is pretty colorful and diverse with all their different personalities. The VA's did a great job as they portray their characters excellently. Take Flamie for example, when she was emotionless, her voice sounded emotionless also. When she was sad, she sounded sad. It was befitting.The soundtracks used suit the events well. The OPs and the EDs gave the right vibe for this show, and I personally like the second OP.
Despite all its flaws, I had fun guessing. However, I wouldn't recommend this show to someone looking for epic action and mind-boggling mystery,though. If you've got some time to kill, this anime would do, take out the magnifying glass, and start analysing.
