Reviews

While people may prize the unpredictability of a show as something that is pivotal in deciding whether its a hit or miss for them, Juuni Taisen is able to execute its plot decently with the intention of wanting their audience to have full awareness of the way the show will progress, including its ending. Yes, you heard me right, it's ENDING. So what value is there in watching something in which you already know the events that will unfold? While to put it simply, it's HOW these said events happen. Because as cliche as 'it's about the journey, not the destination' sounds, it does apply to this show to a certain extent. At the end of it all, the ending itself isn't anything mindblowing (which is what I initially had my hopes for), but the route that the show takes us through is what that really matters.

That being said, this show is far from being deemed as a masterpiece. It had a very strong start (one of the most shocking endings of a first episode might I add), and just when I was about to coin it the anime of the season, things went downhill with the plunge in animation, pacing and storytelling in general. The animation in the later episodes of 6-9 was such an eyesore, not because its the worst art I've seen in the entirety of my anime watching experience, but because in comparison to the astonishingly detailed and smooth action sequences in episodes 1 and 2, the distinct difference in quality was extremely apparent. But, to give the show its benefit of the doubt, I assume my enjoyment would be raised higher should the show have sufficient budget to pull of what it intended to.

And while it's one thing to want the audience to be able to predict what happens next, it's another to be highly formulaic in the execution, leaving us only with the empty shell of what Juuni Taisen aimed to be — a series that was no short of some extremely mediocre episodes. I'm talking about ones that were so badly structured, with flashbacks thrown in abruptly with no sense of direction.

However, when I think back to certain moments that left me shell-shocked and so desperately wanting more when the ending credits kicked in, I'm able to barely close an eye and pretend that such episodes were merely a deja-vu that are not actually in the show.

Personally, I acknowledge that many might find this show to be garbage (as reflected in its poor ratings), but despite the holes in its narrative and subpar animation quality, it did resonate with me emotionally and has made me ponder on certain philosophical things that I'd never given any attention to prior to watching Juuni Taisen. The characters were also memorable and unique, and despite some of them having barely any screen time, they all left an impression on me. Lastly, I loved the openings and endings of this anime so that's also a plus! :)