*NOT SPOILER FREE*
The first episodes were a solid 8 but it only went downhill from here as they tried to do too much in 12 episodes. All in all the show became very awkward to watch. Although highlights include the fight scenes, the first episode and its ending, the scene where Ikoma gets thrown off the train (although why Mumei didn't kill him and still had some of her free will still no one knows) and the reuse of the ending in ep 12 when Ikoma saves Mumei (it was cliche and quite forced but the music made all the difference for me).
Story - 6
This started off as a good if overused concept but IF DONE WELL and executed properly could have been really cool. Trains, zombies, steampunk and an apocalyptic setting all put together is generally an exciting prospect. And even though I was sceptical because of the comparisons everyone was making to you know what anime, the first episode of kabaneri actually impressed me and made me want to keep watching. It was refreshing and got to the point; when Ikoma strangles himself you really think, damn that's something. But they ended up using the same method of shock value over and over again, repeated so many times it became predictable and tedious.
The first sort of mini arc is definitely overused and reflects the opening - I am not kabane, I am kabaneri. And I understand that they wanted to add something else (where Biba comes in) to try and make the anime different. But you can do overused and make it good. Having 2 arcs within a mere 12 episode series is a mistake when you're dealing with complex themes such as humanity/loss of humanity and mortality/immortality. Consequently, the message of the anime changed halfway through - from I am not kabane to Let's all defeat Biba. I honestly just could not care for the second arc. It deviated from the original meaning and by the end of episode 12 you're just sitting there staring at your blank screen thinking, what was the point. I don't know what the point of kabaneri was. When Ikoma ended up living I honestly felt nothing. Failing to kill off the main character and leaving an unsatisfying ending - check. One of the most confusing and questionable things was the fact that Biba chose to save Ikoma...
Art (and animation) - 8
Well, it's wit studio.
The colours and the lighting were great and added to the atmosphere of the anime. The animation was smooth and I liked the old school sort of art style. The fight scenes were amazing and one of the stand out parts of the show.
Sound - 9
It's Sawano Hiroyuki, egoist and Aimer. Enough said. Plainly, epic and beautifully haunting.
Characters - 6
They messed up the characters, giving them half assed backgrounds and making them repeat the same overused 5 lines over and over again. Mumei's character just plummeted. She started off so cool and strong, and then Biba comes along and she's a loli/little sister who can't think for herself, much like Asuna from SAO. The whole brainwashing thing was never explained and was just used as an easy way to move along the plot. Her character seemed to be split into about 3 personalities. Ikoma is fairly strong yet grated on my nerves a bit as the series progressed with his annoyingly single minded outlook and always going on about Mumei, though I admire his strong drive and ability to get things done. Character development - there was next to nothing. There are no other characters worth mentioning. I won't even go into Biba.
Enjoyment - 6
It was...entertaining
Extra points: the scene in the episode 12 got strangely artsy with all the butterflies and Mumei and I like it as a stand alone thing but it didn't really fit with the gutsy(ness?) of the rest of the anime. It was very out of place
Overall - 6/10 trains and some of these trains are broken, I would not recommend. It certainly doesn't live up to the hype it's had.
