Reviews

SnS Ni no Sara begins with a battle. A battle that is depicted as incredibly unlucky and disadvantageous. A battle where the MC faces with one of the most formidable opponent. In metaphorical way, the first episode is a battle between a hero and the grand-daughter of the demon lord himself. The ominousity, the darkness that envelops the battle field, the semi-final boss’ giggles that send a chill down in our spine. This battle is so impactful and can be called as an epic......I wish i could say all of those.

After seeing the fail-adapted first episode and the almost non-existent opening plot, it’s only natural that people’s expectation become low. Not only for a few episodes ahead, but can be for a whole season. This is one factor that makes this second plate pale in comparison compared to the first plate. The very first beginning of the story wanted to be epic and impactful, but what we find is an epicly fail-cooked adaptation from its original source.

After that beginning, only battles and battles await the viewers. Battles which speak of the characters personality, potential, strength, their struggle, their motivation etc – but it is only spoken without much development. And unfortunately, those battles are the main ingredients of this second plate.
Yes, those ingredients are fixed ones, can’t be changed – those ingredients were the first pitfall of its original source, and become trouble for the chefs in the anime production. Just be thankful for the viewers that can eat those ingredients in 2 and half months. The original source took more than a year.

But this second plate isn’t entirely worse. In a single glance, we don’t see any useless jello in this plate. The over-used abstract backgrounds are still there, but now being used in a more moderate way. In the first part of the first plate, what we hear from the characters are mainly their exotic voices, which is trying to emphasize their sexual strength instead of their personality. In this second plate, however, this doesn’t happen...not as much as the first plate. Technically, things are better cooked in the second plate.

As this anime is trying to fully adapt the original source as much as possible, which is commendable, there’s heavy challenge to adapt Saeki Shun-sensei’s style into an anime. His style has this “sharp” nuance, which may become a difficulty to be drawn into an animation.
But then, comes episode 4 of the second plate. Truly well-adapted episode that dwarfs all of its siblings. Episode 4 is a proof that a creatively cooked “bad ingredient” can be turned into something truly delicious.