Overall, Kiznaiver's story is a very unique journey about the intriguing concept of how human pain—through both emotional and physical wounds—can be interpreted in many different ways and affect both the one who receives the wounds and the loved ones that surround them. This is shown in many different ways throughout the story, both in current and past struggles, and can leave the viewer feeling torn towards which characters they sympathize with most. While watching the series, I oddly found myself sympathizing the most with the characters that I had liked least at the beginning of the anime, which is a product of great character development. However, there were many characters within the story that were neglected in terms of background information or character exploration. Creating connections between each of these characters while overcoming their individual pasts, with an increasing cast as the story continues, was a concept too broad to be communicated effectively in just twelve episodes. There were also many theories that surrounded the Kizna system and its participants that were too vague or sketchy at the end of the anime, which could have been given better reason with more show time.
In terms of art, Kiznaiver's designs are very flashy for some characters while more simplistic for others, which effectively matches each character's personality, pointing towards the fact that people of many different backgrounds can come together to share a bond. The visuals for the background and setting of the anime were also done quite well but seemed to fade from one's mind to focus more on the characters instead, unless highlighting on a particularly emotional moment, like the last climatic scene of the series on Yugomori City's bridge. Perhaps the most unique thing about Kiznaiver's art style is the visual portrayal of pain that passes between the characters during their Kizna bond, shown as a brightly colored transition that quickly shoots across the screen and then disappears. Overall, the animation and art are both done well, but there is nothing extremely notable about the visuals, paling in comparison to the art of other works made by Studio Trigger.
With that said, Kiznaiver is definitely a series one could enjoy quite easily as a means of passing some spare time, though it might not impress more critical viewers. However, it is also something that could potentially influence people emotionally and encourage viewers to pursue positive relationships with others, despite past or current troubles. Though it is a unique story with a touching concept, Kiznaiver is a series that is much too rushed and half-baked in theory to deserve a higher score.
