When this show was first announced, I was intrigued at the thought-provoking poster. While the show does provide some light snacks for the intellectually inclined, I wouldn't watch the show purely based on that. As a Kyoani piece, it focuses much more on cute characters and funny interactions than any real political intrigue or deep mysteries. While the characters weren't as engaging as those in Chuunibyou were, the show still has a good mixture of action and comedy, and has some nice touching scenes as well. While not a complete grand slam, Phantom World is nonetheless a pretty fun show that is easy to watch.
Animation:
Kyoani typically prefers bright colors and relatively saturated colors; that trend continues here in Phantom World. The work benefits from superb detailing, great effects work, and cute character design. The creativity that went into this world is quite impressive; from the warm comfort of a rabbit family (no not Zootopia) to the threatening presence of Cthulhu the show really goes above and beyond to bring you interesting locations and characters. On top of all that, there are just tiny details that made this show stand out; be it the occasional flickering of Phantoms (as if they are errors), hand-drawn appearance of rabbit world, or the look on the Yakiniku store owner's face as Reina orders even more all you can eat meat. The character designs are well done as well; all of the main heroines are distinct in appearance and behavior. Expressions are definitely above average and occasionally used for comical purposes, such as when kuudere Minase is forced to attract a phantom or when Mai is about to be licked by a giant monkey. Oh, and you can't forget about the super-cute dog Phantom; I'm sure Kyoani has a plushy of him by now.
There is a fair amount of action in the show as the group battles various phantoms. The fights are pretty varied as well, as their approach changes based on the particular phantom. Mai is a melee specialist so luckily this show is not just magic spamming. Things don't get too serious though so don't expect any significant blood or gore. Surprisingly enough, there is a fair amount of ecchi in this show. Whether this is a sign that Kyoani has admitted that moe alone isn't enough to please the market is beyond the subject of this review. You can expect a fair amount of bouncy from Mai, as well as um... self massages in order to activate her powers. Besides that, there are a few accidental infringement cases, used for Reina to enact violent retribution.
Sound:
The show starts with an electronic-infused, fast-paced OP. I'm not a huge fan of the singer or the melody but it does fit the slightly chaotic nature of the show. The ED is a light rock piece sung by the VA for Ruru, nothing too special but it's not a bad melody. The BGM is above average though particularly excellent in specific episodes; for example, it greatly reinforces the mood and atmosphere in episode four. Overall, it has a more playful feel than your average BGM.
The VA cast is relatively experienced with veterans Saori Hayami, Sumire Uesaka, and Maaya Uchida voicing major roles. Misaki Kuno also does a great job giving Kurumi a very light, soft voice. Azusa Tadokoro gives Ruru a particularly energetic albeit annoying voice. Overall, it's a very well rounded cast and befitting of a Kyoani work.
Story:
So in this world where phantoms coexist along humans, there are occasionally misbehaving Phantoms that need to be "sealed". Heard of that one before? It's sort of like cute versions of the antagonists in Noragami or Shana being taken care of by a group of high school students with abilities like those in Charlotte.
Phantom World comes across as mostly episodic, with each episode containing one or two antagonists that the growing cast works together to defeat. Despite not having a strong central plot pulling things along, the execution of the story is well done with character exposition closely intertwined with the actual Phantoms encountered in each episode. Certain arcs are definitely better than others, with the rabbit-household that I keep mentioning being one of the more memorable ones. Some of the arcs are a bit too atypical for me, and some of the arcs attempt to be too scientific for their own good (Schrodinger's cat for instance) but all in all it was still enjoyable. There's a bit of rising tension in the last few episodes that culminates in a light climax that reminds me a bit too much of Akikan (jeez that's eight years ago already).
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the overall setting and how the world got into a state where high school students are necessary to deal with the Phantoms, but nothing annoying enough to detract from the easily digestible nature of the show.
Character:
Critically speaking, the characters here aren't as much of a pull as I'd come to expect from Kyoani shows (such as Chuunibyou or Amagi Brilliant Park). The characters still have fairly well developed personalities and the Kyoani moe touch (especially Reina and Kurumi) but just aren't as relatable as those in the aforementioned other shows. While each character does have a decent exposition and do develop and grow together as a group, there aren't any particularly deep strings connecting them together; and for that I felt there was a fair amount of lost potential.
Value:
Phantom World pulls the viewer in with a good mix of comedy, an interesting setting, and great execution. There are definitely some fun and memorable portions of the show. Although the character relationships weren't as deep as I had hoped, the show overall was an enjoyable, light watch. If you're looking for a quality show with a good amount of comedy and action mixed in, definitely give this world a go.
