This is a show that fits into the generic and stereotypical anime show like a glove. It's as if they used the old "Do It Yourself" Anime starter pack complete with checklist;
Does it take place in a school?
Yes- check.
Is the lead character a pretty, tomboyish, but still feminine girl or a super serious, spiky-haired boy?
Yes (half the time) to the first one, check.
Is there a supernatural or fantasy element that centers the plot?
Vampires, Witches, and other monsters from various folklore, yes. Check.
Are there fight scenes with guns, handheld weapons, or magical powers?
Lots of magic. Check.
Is there a mid-series break to make one season like two?
Yes, check.
Is there an obligatory fan service episode at a pool/hot spring/beach so all the female characters can be seen in swimwear?
2/3 of those. Yes, check.
When you have seen so many shows like this, you have to ask aloud, "They can't be serious with this, can they?" Well, the good news is- No. This show is very self-aware and uses a lot of 4th wall breaks for effective laughs here and there. It's refreshing the first few times, but if someone keeps telling the same bad jokes- even if someone admits their jokes are bad- it doesn't succeed in making them funny. The episodic formula of the show gets very repetitive very fast and the drastic overuse of fan service only adds annoyance to the monotonous nature of the show. It's a grind to get through.
While grinding through, you are given some decent art and some okay special effects which culminates in some of the most boring and short fight scenes I've ever seen. Even when the story does proceed far enough to finally raise the stakes and ability of the enemy of the week, it's still too little, too late as they only succeed in delaying the predictable and leading us towards a Season 2. This was all rather disappointing.
Another so-so aspect of the show is it's use of music, with equally mediocre opening and closing themes to accompany a fair in-show soundtrack. It also has the occasional musical number in the show itself which sometimes features characters singing. All a reason to show off the voice actresses wide range of vocal talents, which brings me to the Sub vs. Dub battle. I liked the Japanese cast better than the English one, but there is very little required of either cast script wise and each performance has their ups and downs making me decide in favor of the Japanese cast by a hair, but if you're more comfortable with English dub, you won't experience much of a drop off in quality.
I'm probably being a bit too harsh on this show, it's not even close to terrible, but it fails to impress. With a TV-MA rating that could have been utilized to show more monstrous and violent aspects of their cast of monsters, it only succeeds in being a one-note program with a lot of chuckles, the occasional decent looking monster, boob jokes, and the transformation sequence into a fight scene for dessert. Remarkable for being totally unremarkable. Watch it for the little smile it gives you or just to fill out your MAL profile. 5/10. Check it out. Cheers!
