Kabaneri is an average show with an outstanding setting and world concept of a steampunk fuedal Japan, has fantastic top-notch animation, but suffers from cliche and stupid characters, a cliche and weak plot and an average musical score. Don't watch it.
Unfortunately, I don't think a second season, if it even gets one, will save this show. It needs to cut out the superpowers and cliche moe crap (i.e. Mumei) and develop its characters more.
Its setting is fantastic, but suffers from the same problem as Attack on Titan: trying to be a survival horror series showcasing the vulnerability of humanity against monstrous (literally) odds, but then chucks superpowers at the hero and devolves into a shounen fist-fight.
This show pains me because of its POTENTIAL. We need more original shows and concepts in anime, and I can't stress enough how much I loved the "steampunk samurai" setting: I want to see more. But the characters and story killed it, and while at times the soundtrack did evoke emotions, other times it just didn't fit with the tone of some scenes at all and really detracts from the scene.
The animation, however is top-notch and beautifully done. I will praise one aspect of the characters: the voice actor for Ikoma, the main character. It's nice to see a protagonist with a deeper and more mature voice rather than the usual whiny protagonist, albeit he still has his angst moments as well, but I definitely want to see more of his VA Tasuku Hatanaka: it's great to have more variety in character voice over actors.
All in all, some great concepts, but the end result was less than stellar. Nevertheless, it kept me entertained enough to finish the series to the end in two days, so that's something I guess.
I know this is bad for me to do, but the only reason it doesn't get a lower score is for its potential and the hope I still cling to for original series to be successful.
I don't dislike Kabaneri because it was bad. I'm disappointed in Kabaneri because it could have been the best.
