Now I went into this anime with very low expectations due to the fact that I don't like sports that much plus some of my least favourite sports are football, boxing volleyball and baseball. So I was expected to hate this anime because of it. As again I don't like sports that much and honestly I was expecting to kinda hate this anime. Was I wrong in my personal judgement or I am right?
Story.
The story in Inazuma Eleven follows a cheerful goalkeeper captain named Endou Mamoru who is looking for members to join the Raimon Soccer Club. However due to Raimon Soccer Club only having 6 players the student body council president named Natsumi threatens the Raimon Soccer Club by disbandment if they wont win a game by Teikoku Gakuen as well getting enough players. When Raimon recruited enough players they faced off with Teikoku Gakuen however Raimon Soccer were competently outclassed. When all hope was lost at the very last second a striker named Gouenji helps the Raimon team to score a point using a powerful hissatsu technique called Fire Tornado. Shocked about the power Teikoku Gakuen forfeits the match where Raimon Soccer Club won by default. This gives Endou along with the Raimon Soccer members hope that they will one day win the Football Frontier. From there Endou along with the Raimon Soccer members would aimed to become the best soccer time like no other team ever was.
Inazuma Eleven is split up into three main arcs as well as some subplots that take place during the main arcs.
Football Frontier Arc (EP1-26)
Ailea Academy Arc (EP27-EP65)
Football Frontier International Arc (EP66-127 End)
Honestly, the story isn't the strongest part of Inazuma Eleven. I am going to be real honest it's one of its weaker parts of the story especially in the earlier episodes of the first arc which I found to be cheesy at times but at the same time, I just can't help to really get invested by it.
The first half it execution. In my opinion, you can make even the most boring sounding setups really good if you can get the execution just right and Inazuma Eleven just that. Honestly, I don't care if the sport is realistic or not because for I only care about the execution more than anything else
The other half are the subplots and in my opinion, they are some best subplots I have ever seen in any anime. They are just really handled well, and they add life to the characters which prevent them from being boring and generic shounen characters.
All of the arcs were all very enjoyable to watch and they well directed because each arc knows to use its content really well.
The show explores the theme for friendship, teamwork, value as well as overcoming your fears and weaknesses and this show manages to execute them perfectly.
I really like the story for this one even though it’s on the little basic side for the most part. I don't think much more was needed because the execution of it was so well handled specially in seasons 2 and 3 where the writers decided to go all out.
Great job director Katsuhito Akiyama.
8.5/10
Characters.
The characters are what really brings this show together because like with the story it is the execution was great.
First, we have Endou Mamoru who is our main captain for the Raimon and later on Inazuma Japan as well as being the main goalkeeper for the team.
Endou starts off as a goofy and kinda hot-headed protestant who has a passion for football but honestly as the series progresses he developed from a less goofy hot-headed main protagonist to a very determined and more responsible captain for the team. I actually adore this character because he is a well-developed character and a lovable one.
I was really impressed with Endou as a who and that's why I adore him and he's one of my favourite’s characters in the show, to be honest.
Next up we have our main striker for Raimon Gouenji Shuuya
Now like Endou he has a strong passion for football but unlike Endou, he's much calmer but self-centred but as the series progresses he much friendly to the team as having massive character development. Not to mention his subplot and backstory was just great and well told.
Overall Gouenji is a great character on he’s own right.
Lastly, we have Kidou Yuuto who is the brains and strategist player for Raimon who is formerly the Captain of the Teikoku Academy but now is an irreplaceable addition to Raimon Junior High. I can only say this much to this character because he is a walking spoiler character which he's side plot. Besides the one that I just mentioned because it happens early on the story anyway.
All I can say about Kidou is he is an amazing character and he is one of the few complex characters.
The rest of the characters are hit or mess depending on your tastes.
For me, most of the characters were great because they had they own subplots which are well written for the most part and they fun to watch as well as being well developed. Sure there were a few miss characters but least they didn't damage the show for me.
Then we have what is easily my favourite characters in Inazuma Eleven. Kazemaru Ichirouta.
I honestly have grown attached with this because I just really liked how his very friendly as well as being competitive player not to mention I really adore his character design.
In my opinion, Kazemaru is probably the most realistic character in this show personality wise.
Overall the characters were awesome.
9.5/10
Visuals.
Visually Inazuma Eleven is pretty good.
The art of Inazuma Eleven is fresh and surprised greatly because I like the character designs for the most because they feel fresh and original.
One thing that I liked that is the use of colour for each arc representing the mood and the tone of each arc.
The football frontier arc has bright colour feel it to it but not full colourful while the Aliea Academy arc has a more depressing feel to it. Then we have the football frontier arc international arc which has more modern sports anime feel to it because of the colour usage and the art, in general, has greatly improved in terms of quality.
The animation was surprising really good, and it stays consistent all the thought and when they players use hissatsu techniques its freaking amazing of how well animated they all are. Sure at times can use re-use the hissatsu animation but for a show like this, I didn't really bother me too much because they are amazingly animated.
Also the character designs, for the most part, were great and unique.
Sure there were a few questionable ones, but they didn't really bother me too much.
This is by definitely Oriental Light and Magic finest work in terms of art and animation especially in season 3 (Football Frontier International Arc) where it looks absolutely beautiful at times putting some of the recent anime to shame at times.
Overall the visuals were great.
8/10
Sound.
The first time that I listened to the OST I personally found it lacklustre but over time I started getting used to it and I ended up completely loving the OST because how amazing it was.
Hell, some of the tracks in Inazuma Eleven are emotional and just plain epic.
Notable tracks include.
Teikoku Gakuen Theme Empire Gakuen came!
Mortal combat with the empire Gakuen
Lethal Attack
Gathering Circle
Kanashii Kano
All of the Opening and Endings themes are amazing.
My favourite openings and endings in Inazuma Eleven are opening four and ending 1 because they fit very well with each other like the opening 4 adds hype for that arc while ending 1 closes that arc perfectly.
The Japanese audio for the series was great, and the voice actors were well acted.
Notable Seiyuu performance goes to Junko Takeuchi as Endou Mamarou, Hiroyuki Yoshino as Kidou Yuuto, Sanae Kobayashi as Natsumi Raimon, Rie Kugimiya aka (Tsundere Queen) as Toramaru Utsunomiya, Yuki Kaji as Kazuya Ichinose and Nishigaki, Yuka as Kazemaru Ichirouta.
There's also an English dub. Please don't watch the English dub it's really bad. I watch the dub for this on Nintendo's anime channel just to see how it is and it was just awful. Not only the voices were bad but the audio quality itself is bad plus the story and characters development were butchered to all hell.
All of the characters have different names, and they were really bad on that and the final nail of the coffin for this dub is the show cuts off after season 2 leaving you with an uncompleted story.
I only watched the first 2 episodes for the dub for this I dropped it half way in the episode because the voices were just so freaking horrible to listen plus the voice actors had no emotion with the roles whatsoever.
So there really no reason to watch Inazuma Eleven dubbed, and I won't take any points away because it's honestly hard to find an Inazuma Eleven dub nowadays let alone good quality.
Overall besides what I said about the dub the I really love the OST, Openings, Endings and voice acting for the original Japanese audio
10/10
Final Thoughts.
Inazuma Eleven might just be the anime that I realize I judged this too early.
Am being really honest when I say that my opinions for this anime went from basically is just another mediocre sports anime to oh my god l freaking this anime so much!!!
Seriously this went being something that I will hate to something that I will love, and it impressed me in so many ways that I will never think possible with a sports anime let alone a kid’s anime.
This is just an awesome anime that I barely speak my praises enough. The story, the characters, the animation the OST, the openings the endings and the voice acting were all just great. I know it could easily have flopped, but execution for everything is so great.
If you're looking for a great sports anime that is entertaining and has a strong character cast I recommend Inazuma Eleven. It was a great series that I will forever love until the end of time
Final Score 9/10
