Simply put, Kuromukuro doesn’t simply want to be your typical giant robot-war drama but also more of an emotional ride. It wants to capitalize on its characters with its fictional world setting and most importantly, character relationships. The storytelling also has a bit of background that took place 450 years from its present timeline. Back then, there was an alien force known as the Elf Dorg that invaded Earth. However, the Washiba clan and their heir Yukihime along with Kennosuke Tokisada Ouma were able to retaliate against them while using a weapon known as the “Black Relic”. Yukihime mysteriously vanishes around this time as well. Then, some 60 years ago, this Black Relic is discovered. In the present timeline, a young girl named Yukina Shirahane accidentally gets involved in these mysterious affairs when she triggers the peculiar mecha. See where this is all going? It’s essentially a show that connects events from the past to the present. And while this is hardly anything original, it offers promise as there’s a lot to explore from the initial premise.
The show itself has both a serious and lighthearted tone. It combines elements of action, sci-fi, drama, and perhaps even romance. The most mysterious character is Ouma, a main male protagonist born around the Sengoku period. He establishes himself as Yukihime’s protector and he forms a peculiar relationship with Yukina as she resembles her. Being born around the Sengoku period, it doesn’t come as surprise that he is clueless about modern day technology either. Then, there’s Yukina, the typical school girl you can find in almost any sci-fi related series. Although I have to admit, she didn’t leave me with a good impression at first. This comes from the fact that she is often insecure about herself and has a ‘damsel in distress’ type of feel. Prior to getting some actual combat experience, she felt more like a character that needed to be saved rather than saving others. Luckily, the show is able to make her more likeable as the story progressed to show a stronger side with her character.
Speaking of characters, the show actually offers quite a diverse range of them. From skilled pilots to dedicated researchers, you’ll probably find at least one character where your mind is thinking along the line of ‘oh that looks familiar”. One of the more prominent female characters in the show is Sophie Noel, a French exchange student who is considered a prodigy. In contrary to Yukina, she is very self-independent and more difficult to approach. Throughout the series, her involvement with the various conflicts brings light about her character. It’s shown that despite being a bit self-centered, she is also very courageous and wants to make a difference in her world. As such, the main three protagonists all stand somewhere on their own that differentiates them from each other. Still, the most mysterious character is unquestionably Ouma. His past isn’t very clear as we only see cryptic clues about them. Furthermore, Ouma’s personality is one that’s very formal although also comedic if you put him into a modern life environment like a school.
Although the series has a serious plot (hello? An imminent alien invasion?), it also has a lot of lighthearted moments. This can result in more of a mixed bag reception because viewers may not take the show seriously as intended. The slice of life moments from school are prime examples of this while we also get the occasionally breather episode that furthers the pacing issue. What I do think holds value though is the character relationships. Besides the three main protagonists, there’s evident family dynamics especially with Yukina. She has a mother who is a chief researcher but also plays the role of a mother. Ironically, she seems to lack qualities that would make her a realistic mother but deep down does care for her daughter. (as shown in later episodes) Yukina’s younger sister sees Ouma as a role model because of her passion for historical dramas. Finally, it’s noticeable that Yukina’s father is not present in the show because he mysteriously disappeared. This brings back Yukina’s reasoning for lacking self-esteem as well. So at the center, Yukina is primarily the girl that somehow always gets involved with the mysterious events in the show. Whether it’s meeting a look-alike of herself or even getting abducted by aliens, it’s unquestionable that Yukina has an important role. But the real question is if she is likable? I think this can be viewed from several perspective but most importantly is her development. The show will test your patience as each episode progresses. From a personal perspective, I think she is acceptable but her first impressions aren’t what I call as memorable. At least compared to other characters, Ouma’s introduction will definitely leave an odd impression before your eyes.
Produced by P.A. Works, it’s no surprise that the character designs looks familiar. Anyone who has seen Nagi no Asukara will find a similarity with the looks especially the main female characters. P.A. Works has always been known for their exquisite background scenery and the studio once again brings their talent to the table. We got gorgeous visuals with the natural forests and mountainous regions. In space, there’s a strong feeling of sci-fi when it comes to the action sequences. While the show isn’t known for its fan service, it is however known for more of man service thanks to Ouma.
In terms of its soundtrack, the musical content of Kuromukuro works quite well. It delivers with an instrumental feel while also known for its emotional drama. However, I find the voice mannerism to be tolerable at best. Yukina’s voice took me a long time to get used to while Sophie’s tone is way too soft for someone with her talent. Of course, Ouma stands out the most with his manly voice, something that I find hard to ignore.
It’s unlikely that you’ll find yourself watching Kuromukuro as a high priority on the bucket list. It’s hard to deny but with so many anime coming out these days, it’s one of the lesser noticeable mecha shows. However, I think Kuromukuro is worth the time investment. Yes, it is 2-cour that shuffles between a mecha drama story and all all-out galaxy war involving earthlings and aliens. Even if you’re not a fan of P.A. Works or mecha, it still has moments that can make you come back wanting for more.
