OHHHHHHHHH BOOOOOOOOOY! THIS SHOW! THIS STINKIN SHOW! I am absolutely blown away, at what I just watched. I'd just like to give a quick shout out to GlassReflection, for introducing me to this show. 99.9% of the time, he introduces shows to me that become some of my favorite viewing experiences of all time, and BOY, DID HE NOT DISAPPOINT, THIS TIME! If I had to describe Bokurano, it would be if Madoka Magica, Attack on Titan, and Danganronpa all had a baby. Though, Bokurano actually came before ALL of those shows. So I guess it'd be more suitable to say that you can thank Bokurano for all those other shows and games. Madonna Magica actually even has a reference to Bokurano, in one of the episodes. So if Madoka herself recommends this show to you, then you NEED to see it. But here's the one thing that made me like this show FAR more than Madoka Magica and Attack on Titan. Unlike those two shows, Bokurano wasn't spoiled for me. I had both Madoka and AoT spoiled to high heaven, before I even went and watched them. And because of that, my experience with Madoka became a lot more underwhelming and unenjoyable than everyone else's experience, and I didn't even bother finishing AoT, because I was able to describe every single scene, before it even happened.
So ya. Don't spoil things, people! It ruins shows! And don't use the "They should've watched it, already" excuse. Not everyone was born at the same time as you and not everyone got into something at the same time as you. Nobody is obligated to experience something as soon as it's created, just for the sake of not having it get ruined by other people. If you know that someone doesn't want something spoiled, DON'T SPOIL IT. Now that that's settled, let's write up a spoiler heavy review of Bokurano! But before I do, I'm gonna give you all a fair warning. Bokurano is a show that is most enjoyable when you know literally NOTHING about it, going into it. In fact, it's one of those shows where simply mentioning anything about it can be considered a huge spoiler. So I'm gonna warn you all right now that this review will have to contain spoilers, in order to be written. I try my best to keep all my reviews spoiler free, but for this show, it's almost impossible to do so. If you don't wish to be spoiled on anything, I'll just tell you right now that Bokurano gets my absolute highest recommendation. So go watch it. Like. Right now.
Ok, then. Where do I even begin? So something that made me a bit hesitant to watch this show at first was that I eventually found out that it's a mecha anime. Personally, mecha is my least favorite anime genre that I've watched. I don't think the mechs themselves are to blame, per se. But it's just sort of a fact that if a show has a giant robot in it, I don't like it. The only exception to this is iDOLM@STER: Xenoglossia, though I'll be completely honest and say that I probably only like it, because it's iDOLM@STER. So as soon as that opening started playing and that giant robot appeared, I was immediately worried. But now that it's all said and done, I am thrilled to say that Bokurano did not disappoint. Not only is this the best mecha show I've seen, but it's also one of my absolute favorite anime series, or all time. The show does not follow any sort of rules or tropes that others mecha shows do. It's very unique and different. Like I said, it has a LOT of similarities to shows like Madoka Magica, AoT, and Danganronpa. Stuff like a bunch of teenagers being tricked into a life or death game that puts the entire world at risk of destruction, a demonic chibi creature thing who is the most despicable character in anime history, tons of plot twists that involve your jaw dropping 20 meters downward and your heart getting ripped out of your chest, literally every single thing you could possibly imagine going wrong happening, and MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DYING. Sounds fun!
Now this show has a VERY big cast of main characters. 15, to be exact. And with only 24 episodes, giving each of them enough screen time to know about them is quite the challenge. Well if iDOLM@STER can do it, so can this show! And it most certainly did! One episode is all each character needs, in order for you to know what they're all about. These characters have two types. They can either be incredibly relatable and super likable, which leads you to being absolutely miserable when they end up getting put on the chopping block. Or they can be the lowest of the low, absolute despicable scums of the earth, where you're just waiting in anticipation for them to get put on the chopping block, and worried sick about how much damage they'll do, before then. You WILL know each and every single one of these characters, by the end of it. You may not remember their names, and possibly not even their faces, but you'll remember every single detail of their stories. The only thing a bit disappointing is that you won't really be attached to them as people, for long periods of time. Since each of their stories are only an episode long. They're fantastic stories, but the characters attached to them simply don't last long enough for you to fall in love with them, as much as you did with their stories.
The reason I say you probably won't remember their faces is due to the animation. This show was made in 2007, by a company called Gonzo, which is made up of former members of Studio Gainax. When looking at all the other shows that came out in 2007, as well as 2006, Bokurano honestly doesn't stand out much, when standing next to its peers from that era. It's certainly not terrible, but if I told you that this show was made in the late 90's, you'd probably believe me. The character look very plain, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But for a show with 15 protagonists, it'd be helpful if you were able to differentiate them from one another. Even the opening theme song doesn't have any stellar animation. In fact, the entire opening is made up of several clips from the show, itself! Usually the openings of a show are the most beautifully animated portion of the series. But not for this one. Though, I will give it credit for being one of those shows that has the opening become more meaningful, as time goes on.
Another thing a bit lackluster in this show is its music. While its opening theme is very enjoyable, the show's soundtrack ranges from forgettable to nonexistent. Mecha shows at least have the accompaniment of big, epic orchestras, to enhance their fight scenes. But this show doesn't really have that. Though, considering the type of the show it is and what the characters are going through when piloting it, I could pose the argument that those scenes sorta benefit from a lack of music. And finally, the sub vs dub debate. Or rather, the lack of one. Because Bokurano actually doesn't have a dub, which is kinda shocking, honestly. The Japanese performances are all good, but I'd definitely like to see this show get a dub one day, simply so that the show has another opportunity to be put in the spotlight.
Now this show is incredibly dark. But not necessarily violent. Like I said earlier, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DIE!!! But it's not nearly as graphic as other shows are, such as Elfen Lied and Attack on Titan. A lot of the gruesome details are off screen or just done in an instant. In fact, I'm pretty sure there's only one scene in the entire show where you see blood. And it's a very minimal amount, despite the events of the scene. So for the more squeamish people who are a bit nervous to go into such a gruesome show, I can assure you that you won't have to look at anything gory. Though, there's a LOT of despicable events and acts that take place in this show that can very easily make people uncomfortable, despite the visuals not being incredibly detailed on the matters. I'll just say that the show is rated R for a reason, and leave it at that.
The fact that Bokurano is a hidden gem is an absolute crime, to me. Those who've seen it love the heck out of it, but it NEEDS to be seen by more people. The show is all about things getting twisted in every possible direction, at first. Literally anything and everything can and will go wrong. Throughout the first three quarters, it's all about unveiling every piece of the puzzle. And once you finally do, it becomes kinda easy to see how it'll all end. But by that point, you're so hooked not eh story, that you absolutely NEED to finish it. The worst thing I can say about this show is that it probably won't have the best rewatch value. Since the most excitement is derived from being in suspense, waiting to see how long each character survives, as well as what happens to them right before they die. If you ever do rewatch this show, it'd be best to do it with a friend who hasn't seen it. But for those of you who haven't seen it at all, and are ok with viewing a very gruesome series of events, this show will not disappoint. If you love Madoka, AoT, and Danganronpa, thank this show. Because its the reason that these shows came into being, and it definitely deserves some long overdue praise.
Bokurano gets a 9.5/10
