Katana Maidens, or Toji no Miko. This has been an unexpectedly interesting series to follow and it's been difficult for me to figure out just I feel about this anime. However, after twelve episodes, I don't think I've ever been this intrigued with a series like this featuring primarily a female cast since... hell, since I first watched Sailor Moon over twenty years ago.
Katana Maidens may not be a masterpiece by any stretch, but from what we've seen so far, I can't really call this a bad series. Hell, I even can't really call it generic as some people have said. I mean, yeah, I could bring up the annoying fact that this is another one of those "Cute underage girls with weapons" anime but it would be cheap for me to say that because if you've been watching anime for as long as I have, you should be well used to this by now.
No matter how generic an anime is, or any entertainment product may look like, it's the story that counts in the end. And that's what this anime does well. Despite it's generic look and setting, Katana Maidens manages to keep it's story interesting enough to make me want to know what happens next. And considering the fact that this is a two cour anime, it makes one wonder if we may be in for an unexpected gem, quite possibly a contender to be a Top Ten Anime of 2018. Even more intriguing is that this is being done by a studio that's still young and doesn't have a a lot of experience doing action shows.
Regardless of how this show turns out in its upcoming second half I'm going to go as far as saying that this is Studio Gokumi's most ambitious project, especially when you can consider the very clear limited budget they have and the competition they're going up against. It really does bug me that so many people give this show the cold shoulder because it's generic. Well, I won't try to convince you otherwise but allow me to convince you why you should give this anime a second chance.
SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND
Let me get straight to the point. If you thought Katan Maidens was just another school tournament anime just by the first ten minutes alone, not only are you dead wrong but it's clear you didn't watch the entire first episode because by the end of it the whole school tournament story is thrown right out the window and is replaced with an action-adventure/espionage style story with a bit of fantasy thrown in.
Right from the start the anime makes it clear that something is very wrong and things are not what they should be. Our two main girls Kaname and Hiyori are the first to see this and they are soon on the run, with others starting to question their purpose as Toji. The Toji are the magical soldiers of this world consisting of only female members and are skilled with the katana and are created to battle the monstrous creatures called aradama.
While the premise isn't original by any means, it's the way it's presented that makes it interesting. The toji are essentially like magical girls but with actual weapons instead of flashy magic powers and silly attacks. This time threat is real and any one of these characters could die at a moment's notice. The characters main themselves may not be much to go on but they do grow on you in time. And the way they have bonded so far is also very well done.
EASY TO FOLLOW
The pacing is also a major plus in this anime. I appreciate the fact that the studio isn't trying to rush things and is instead taking the time to tell the story properly, with it's reveals and plot twists put in at the appropriate moments. Putting aside the CGI they often use the fight scenes can range from awesome to underwhelming depending on your tastes but I'm not particularly bothered by it because I really don't like it when a studio tries to outdo a previous fight by making it crazier and crazier every single time. I prefer that they keep it simple and allow the audience decide if the fight scene is good or not.
INTERESTING TO CARE ABOUT
Another major plus is the development of the characters. Throughout the first half, we see our six main girls go through a great deal of change. Everything they knew about their world is turned upside down and has left them questioning both themselves and their abilities as toji. It's the way they deal with these problems is what makes them likable because it would have been easy for them to break down after they learn the truth, but they didn't. They choose to face the problem right away, even though they know how high the cards are stacked against them. Even the villains get this kind of treatment, something you don't usually see in stories like this. In the end, you can't help but cheer them on or feel pity for them for what they're going through and you want to stay at their side to the very end
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM HERE
With the first half ending the way it did the question is this: What happens from here? Are the girls going to be facing an even bigger threat that was previously unknown? Are they going to try to save someone who originally their enemy? The hype for this anime is real.
What I don't want to see is a bunch of filler episodes with pointless fanservice or forced in yuri. This series has intrigued me more than both Grancrest Wars and Darling in the Franxx combined. For now I'm going to give this anime an 8/10 with the potential to obtain and even higher score. So far Katana Maidens been surprising very good from the start and I really want this anime to leave a positive impression on me. We can only wait and see where it goes from here.
I'm DirectorK and until next time, stay tuned!
