Story:
For the most part, the story doesn’t really have much to talk about. Well, at least not yet. The show, like most others in the shounen genre seems to be of a rather extensive nature and considering the length of Academia, it’s pretty understandable that they could only give us a small part of the story with just 13 episodes, thus leaving us with a plot that does leave behind a few hints of a deeper subject and some greater events to come but unfortunately also leaves the show in a rather incomplete and unsatisfying note. So we’re not really getting any closure until maybe another season.
But let’s talk about the actual contents. First off, while the concept is nothing new and has been done several times before, the show still manages to present it in a very ‘fun’ way. It maintains a very nice atmosphere and is able to carry out events in a manner that is very easy to digest and do not require much thinking to enjoy. While the story doesn’t offer anything all that amazing and is rather linear, it is still enjoyable. One other thing that I particularly liked about the show is that it is very honest with itself. It knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try too hard to be something that it’s not. This way, everything always feels in place and none of the scenarios feel overdone or unfitting.
Sadly, even with all that, the show still did feel as if it was constantly missing something, like it just didn’t have enough. Though I did say that I appreciated the fact that it doesn’t try to be something it’s not, it also doesn’t try to ever improve or explore upon the aspects that do relate to it. It feels confined to a certain space which doesn’t leave much room for diversity, thus lacking anything for the viewer to truly look forward to. Simply put, it’s a very simple show with a simple setup.
Art and Animation:
Academia offers a simple and comic-like style of art. It might not have all that much detail, but it does hold a certain charm to it and is pleasing to look at. The character designs are also done nicely, again not much detail and are kept simple but that’s what allows it to fit with the theme to a good extent. The animation did feel a bit clunky at times but was fairly smooth when it needed to be, such as during the action sequences which were always animated well enough.
Sound:
The soundtrack is one of the better aspects of Academia. I always found the OST to be catchy and it always set the atmosphere for the show really well. Coupled with its style of presentation, it managed to set the mood for certain situations and even got me excited during some of it. The voice acting’s also done well, but still not something I would praise.
The opening sequence was well presented and did prove to be a good way to start the show, but eventually starts to lose its charm after a few episodes. After about 4 to 5 episodes, I found myself skipping through it at the start of each one..
Characters:
While the characters do have some very interesting designs and fun personalities, there’s hardly anything redeemable about any of them. Most characters within the show are very flat, they’re exactly what’s given to you at face value. There’s no depth to them and most of them are very stereotypical. The main character himself follows a very generic underdog personality and development which can pretty much be seen anywhere within the shounen genre. There isn’t anything wrong with sticking to the norm, but to not add your own uniqueness to it kind of is. Because of which, most of the cast just ends up feeling like a copy-paste of other shounen stereotypes. While the characters do have their own quirky personalities and are fun in their own way, they don’t have anything to offer much beyond that, and eventually end up feeling rather plain and forgettable.
Presentation:
This is the aspect which pretty much saves Academia from falling to a bad grade. Despite all the shortcomings, it still manages to be an entertaining show. It just offers a very lively feel and really puts you in the mood. Getting to experience all the different abilities and quirks that the many characters had, proved to be a rather enjoyable experience for me and the way these quirks are used during the battle sequences was also very nice. It gave off a sense of creativity. The way the show carries out its development and how it’s all presented allowed me to enjoy the show for what it offered without paying too much mind to the many problems that it already had. Thus allowing me to even forget about those problems sometimes.
Conclusion and Verdict:
While Academia might not have been able to offer anything above the usual, it still fulfilled its job as a fun shounen. If you’re looking for a nice little show to watch that doesn’t take too much thinking or just want to enjoy something that’s quick while giving out enough enjoyment to make you want to watch more, then Academia could tend to your needs quite well. But for those who’ve already seen enough of the genre and are looking for something new to be had, then your time is better spent elsewhere.
