I have given this show a score of 8, which to many people, may seem like a ridiculously high score for a show that is supposedly one of the greatest disappointments of the 2014 anime season.
The first season of “Aldnoah.Zero” is a standard mecha anime series that makes up for its lack of originality with its ability to make you want to see more. Some reviewers have likened this show to trainwrecks like the infamous “Guilty Crown,” criticizing its poorly conceived characters and overall lack of depth. Others have mentioned that this show is another example of “style over substance,” claiming that the story was forsaken for the sake of grand nonsensical action sequences.
But here are my own thoughts, some of which don’t necessarily agree with the opinions held by many others.
Story:
“Aldnoah.Zero” tells the story of a war between Earth and Mars (known as Vers) after an assassination attempt is made on the Versian princess during her peaceful visit to Earth. It’s a setup that isn’t all that interesting or special, but enough to get the story going.
We are introduced to Inaho, who is a teenage tactical prodigy that manages to help fight the overwhelming Martian forces with his wit and talent. His sheer audacity and plans help turn the tide against the invaders. He and his friends must now escort the Martian princess to safety in hopes of ending the war between their planet and Mars.
It’s not that special of a story, but it’s not that bad of one either. If you like franchises like Gundam, you’ll probably find something to like in this series as well. It’s nowhere as good as Gundam, but it’s worth one’s watch.
Animation:
The animation is clean and flawless. Although I usually criticize shows for using too much CGI, “Aldnoah.Zero” uses the technology extremely well. Not once did I ever feel that its usage was out of place.
Fight scenes are choreographed extremely well, characters are consistently drawn in terms of quality, and the overall design is nothing short of amazing.
The show’s animation is where it shines.
Sound:
For sound, I want to focus on the music. Hiroyuki Sawano’s composing never fails to disappoint, so I am pleased to say that his music helps elevate the experience. Without him, the dramatic moments in the show would not have as great of an impact.
Some people may disagree, but I found that the opening song for the series, “heavenly blue,” may be one of the best opening songs. I have never skipped through it while I was watching the show. It is one of those songs that makes you feel excited. The entire song, if I have to summarize it in one word, would be “dramatic”.I’ve never been able to articulate my feelings in regards to music too well, so my own suggestion for you is to simply listen to it.
Character:
For the most part, the show manages to create likable characters. However, likable does not equate to good characters. For instance, we have our main protagonist, Inaho, who is so plain and lacks any recognizable characteristic other than his unusual talent for recognizing how to destroy supposedly unstoppable Martian machines. I like cool-headed protagonists as much as the next guy, but Inaho literally lacks any personality or emotion.
On the other hand, the second protagonist, Slaine, manages to steal the show. He may actually be one of the only characters in the show that develops in any way. Unlike most of the characters on the Earth side, Slaine is a compelling character who I was more excited to watch than anyone else on the show. It escapes me as to why Slaine was not the main focus of the series. He was perhaps the only character I truly felt for.
But as I mentioned before, the show has likable characters. And although they aren’t particularly strongly written ones, they were ones that I enjoyed watching whenever they came on the screen. I just wished that they were given more depth in order for viewers to truly come to emphasize with them.
Oh and I suppose some people might say that Lieutenant Marito is a character who is given a lot of depth, but to be honest, the series would have been more or less the same without him. It’s a shame that the work put into his story wasn’t put into another character’s instead.
Enjoyability:
I enjoyed it for what it was. It doesn't have the best characters or story, but it did have some genuinely exciting and dramatic moments. "Aldnoah.Zero" is probably not an anime that I will remember in the far future, but one that I will think fondly of if I ever come across it again in the future.
It gets a 8 from me because it was highly enjoyable. It's not the best mecha anime out there, but it is definitely one that I wouldn't mind seeing again.
