The story is Great (9). Unlike today, anime before the age of digital advances put a lot of time into developing a single episode of 20-24 minute show for the audiences and this, in turn, makes all the people behind the anime work hard to provide at least the best story that they could ever provide to justify the amount of time and money that is invested in a project. That is why if you are looking for wonderful anime in terms of story and content I would suggest you go back to watching the classics like cowboy bebop, samurai x, detective Conan to mention a few.
Now how does this relate to Megalo Box? A lot! To begin with, this is a love letter to one of the most popular stories ever made: Ashita no Joe (Tomorrow's Joe) for its 50th Anniversary. It's a story of a true rise of an underdog from the slums to the peak of the highest pedestal. It does not keep you waiting and throws you to the depths of its semi-dystopian world of underground megalo boxing. It is boxing with the addition of supporting boxing mechanical gears that enhances the boxer's skill, strengths, and abilities.
Upon knowing this, you would be immediately pulled by the idea of it and the possibilities that it would bring. But I bet you would not be able to guess the direction that the story would pull you through once you start watching it.
The story kept me guessing on what would happen next or would they be some high-end upgrades that the protagonist would be going through. Yes, there were tons of upgrades but not in the part that you may interpret.
This is one of the stories that I can say I was totally satisfied from how it piqued my interest, how it sustained my interest and how it satisfied me with its conclusion.
Art is Outstanding (10). Megalo Box's biggest advantage is its art style or to be more precise, how it imitated an art style. remember how I mentioned Cowboy Bepop? It was because If you have at least watched one of its episodes or seen its art, you can directly see where it adapts the art style.
There are no, flawless lines here or vibrant colors. It stayed away from the flawlessness of anime of today and went to the classic 90's anime look with how it handled color and texture. Even on 1080p, you can see the intentional grainy or imperfect lines that create those character models and I love it!
Sound is Very Good (8). The sound is also very good. I would like to commend the ambient music and mood-setting chimes and tunes it plays along with the story. It is a major factor in sustaining the moment when I watch Megalo Box.
"Bite" by LEO Imai the opening theme of the story is a great tool to set up the hype of the battle that the anime shows all throughout the story and it greatly shows the personality of this anime: ruthless. Even if I am not a fan of the type of rock they play in this opening theme, I can truly appreciate it.
"Kakatte Koi yo (かかってこいよ)" by NakamuraEmi its ending theme is just fun for me. It brings me to a bar setting vibe not only with the music but also with the accompanying animation using neon lights. a perfect way to wrap up an episode.
Characters are Outstanding (10). This is where Megalo Box shines as the story is heavily reliant on the characters. All of the characters know their roles in the story and they are not pretentious or confused about it.
From the underdog protagonist of the story Junkyard Dog to his partner in crime Nanbu up to the end boss of the story Yuri and his manager Yukiko, all of their characters critically weaves the story altogether.
Supporting characters are there not only to move the plot forward but to make the main of the story bloom and shine more as the story progresses into its final act.
Overall, I would greatly recommend Megalo Box to people who are sick of the mainstream approach to anime and wants to go its roots, or for people who just love brilliant storytelling. It does not matter if you like boxing or the sports genre in general, this anime is definitely for you. So watch it! Better yet... Binge-watch its 13 episodes
With that said, I would give Megalo Box 9 gear pieces out of 10.
