First of all this is the only reason why I have registered and signed up to this site, simply to write a review on this anime.
S T O R Y: 10/10
My pet peeve from Anime is rushed, unrealistic meaningless plots with no build ups. However "Hai to Gensou no Grimgar" doesn't do this. To be honest at first I felt it was so slow because of the level of excellence they were putting into the story build up. This is definitely a risk competing in the market of quick profitable 'B' grade animes with a lot of fan service. I guess I was so conformed to this style of anime that I was at first bothered by the slow story line.
After SAO Ive been pretty much watching every single RPG type anime. I do like the idea of certain ways of doing things, but by far I found this one the most original. It had the values of a RPG but it is within the setting of real life consequences. For example: typical RPG anime tends to get the main character OP, or they some how posses a ridiculous rare item or weapon of some sort which gives them an advantage. Also they are teamed with probably the strongest or unique individuals in the game. Everything is efficient, such as spoils you win from battle somehow goes straight to your invisible inventory. The beasts/ enemies you fight distribute no real consequences. In "Hai to Gensou no Grimgar" you see non of that. Its like living a non-fictional concept in a fictional setting. Such as a single arrow can actually kill someone (which is relatively true in the real world). A sharp weapon is as strong as any cool looking rare legendary swords, meaning they can both kill. I also appreciated how they incorporated the level of reality in a daily persons life in this. For example, they portrayed the reality of providing food for the table takes work and effort. You have to go kill goblins or wild beasts. However the beast dont just die from a slash. They would start running away if they get scared or injured, thus you have the chance of loosing your bounty. Also they carry emotion and they too show the complex personality as any other individual creature and not a simple AI. They show hate, fear, horror, sorrow, joy, excitement and they too don't want to die! These all play into account to stimulate the complexity of life for the audience to contemplate as they are put in the lenses of the characters.
Another thing I really enjoyed was how real relationship was portrayed in this anime. What I mean by this is that "Hai to Gensou no Grimgar" really emphasize how hard it is working with real people and building relationships, just like it would be in the real world. Misunderstandings, assumptions, expectations, responsibilities, lack of character, personality types and there clashes, being introverted vs extraverted, being patient, when to speak when not to speak, believing the best for one another regardless the situation, the importance of clear and integral communication, the list goes on. It really showed the realness of hardship and the beauty of working with other people.
A R T: 10/10
I believe Anime in general should be pleasing to the eye. What I mean by this is that anime in general should carry out the form of art that can not be manufactured in any other film hence we turn to Anime to receive this satisfaction. "Hai to Gensou no Grimgar" does just this with one of the most unique style of anime art I have seen. Its simply beautiful. Of course by no means I'm saying that it is THE best, because styles of art can differ in categories, such as Hayao Miyazaki works! However the quality of each background, character movements to the natural lightings sets this anime apart from many others.
O V E R A L L: 9.5/10
The reason why I'm giving 9.5 instead of a 10 is because the anime was so short. 12 episode is definitely not enough nor justice to the level of potential this anime carries. There is so much unanswered questions. Its almost just barely the tip of the iceberg. Still so much to unravel about the characters, about their purpose, about the RPG ...gosh I want to see it soon! please come out!
