Reviews

Jul 2, 2017
Ah kekkai sensen, the show with the sexiest and catchiest ending I have ever seen. Like really just watching those characters partying in the ending song, all their cool outfits and amazing designs, oozing with style is already enough to put a big smile on my face. Hell I would argue this is show is worth it for that alone

In regards to other aspects my endorsement for that show is not as precedent though. The show does contain an intriguing premise, a very unique setting, a strange world where creatures for another dimension coexist with human beings, and where the abnormal can happen at any given moment. Like really there was such a great amount of effort to make every location, through restaurants, to cemeteries, to illegal brawl clubs to feel distinct and cool that I got to hand it to them, hellsalem lott is a very fun setting that I am excited to see again in a sequel.

The story is not that special, we have your usual attornment journey for our protagonist, that is trying to find more and luckily to fix a mistake he made in his past, in search of that he joins a special group called libra, that ensures the safe coexistence between mankind, and other species in the city. From there on the plot is fairly episodic, mostly containing self-contained encounters of this group, while slowly building to the climax of the series. While most of the episodic stories where rushed to no end, making it kind of hard to care for some of what was going, the fun and widely variable physical encounters, always helped to maintain things flesh and entertaining.

The characters are also a colorful bunch of different stereotypes and quirks, such simple characterization worked because their interesting interactions, all the character’s personalities, bounced of each other, in creative and dynamic ways. I cannot say anyone besides Leonardo, and the two primary antagonists got much in terms development or fleshing out, but I was satisfied with what I got out of them, they are simply loveable bunch of idiots I never got tired of seeing on screen.
Had you realized where usually are the points where I gave the most praise above? It is both in character design, and to make every location seem memorable, and from that alone you can figure out the aesthetics are the primary appeal of the show, the memorable locations, the unique and cool as fuck designs most characters contain, the incredible fight choreography, and animation specially during fight scenes. The animators went all out to make this project, and that really pays off. It is not as impressive of some of studio bones, other works like mob psycho 100, and the directing never was so out there in really interesting ways, like in the director, matsumoto rie, previous work kyousougiga. But this was still a sight to behold at all moments. A perfectly fitting soundtrack also helps to complement all of that.
In terms of theming I am at a loss when it comes to kekkai sensen. Was it supposed to explore regret, finding ways to forgive yourself, find your own value in life despite past events, in Leonardo character arc? If so I never got the impression much was done in terms of that, he eventually finds people that can appreciate him for what he is, and even learns to accept their praise, and they give him the courage of finally facing his mistakes, in the form of writing to his sister. But not much in the series actually builds to that. The king of despair, and his predicament of learning to let go of the thing he cares the most, is linked to that, the interaction between black and white is the obvious parallel. If developed further this could be really interesting, so I guess I will have to wait for the sequel to have a deeper knowledge on that

Luckily in the middle of this rambling mess you can find out this is a show for you. I enjoyed every second of it, being a big fan of director, matsumoto rie style. But there are some very noticeable shortcomings. It sure as hell does not have much in terms of a coherent story, or an overall thematic significance, it works mostly for the rule of cool and action. But the ed is as masterful as you can imagine so at least give that a watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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