[Warning: halfway through this season, AJIN diverges from the original manga, but remarkably it doesn't hurt the show very much. The manga's a real good read, you should try it.]
OVERALL - rounded up 8.5
I feel bad typing this, but modern-day stories about terrorism always fascinates me (I'm looking at you, beautifully animated Zankyō no Terror! >_>). AJIN explores a world where immortality is coveted for its research advantages, and this darker view of the esteemed trait is something that'll tickle your grim fancies for a good bit. Not for the squeamish. Seriously. It's not the blood that gets to you---it's the constant possibility of decapitation.
STORY - rounded up 8.5
AJIN, expectedly, shifted its focus to Satou vs. Nagai Kei from the original intrigue of immortals being used for experimentation pretty quickly (aka season 1). This interesting concept drew me in; yet it was the psychological intensity of fighting against an OP, crazy, immortal ex-soldier with an addiction to games and an affection for his hat that kept me here*
*I say that, but tbh it's because of my affection for Nagai Kei (MC) and for just how much Miyano Mamoru's voice suits the character.
ART/ANIMATION - rounded up 8.5
The awkward CG, like the dark, takes awhile for your eyes to adjust to. Yet I feel as if AJIN is an anime that could not have been done better any other way. There's something here that makes me think: "I wouldn't watch this if it was the usual 2D." Perhaps it's Satou-san's fast-paced, eye-widening murder sprees? Or perhaps it's the hilarious fluidity of Kei's jaded/irritated facial expressions? ^-^'
SOUND/MUSIC - rounded down 7.5
There's only a few stand out tracks because they are used repeatedly to signal increasing TENSION! or CHAOS!! or HYPE!!! Perhaps AJIN conditions you to prepare for a certain thrill when you hear the beginnings of a certain track? Remarkably, this actually rather works.
CHARACTERS - 8
I'll be honest. This'd be pretty damn crappy if it weren't for the strongly-written protagonist and antagonist: Nagai Kei and Satou-san. They carry this anime so much that they are pointed to as why many people follow this series.
ENJOYMENT - 9
There are some things contained in the manga that I truly wished should've made its way in the anime *cough Hirasawa cough* even though its story diverged *cough "like watching my sons" cough cough.* These things primarily had to do with developing Kei's character and his "lack" of emotions---it's more dynamic than that; I can write a whole dissertation on it---which I think is one of AJIN's best aspects. Regardless, this is a thrilling and bloody show that's terrifyingly amazing at making a marvel of the destruction an immortal madman can achieve.
ADDITIONAL RATINGS : Seiyuu - 10 (seriously, Mamoru-san is especially amazing in this one) / Cinematography - 8 / Pacing within Episodes - 8.5 / Pacing Overall - 8 / Pacing of Character Development (Nagai Kei) - 6.5
